Dec. 7, 1920.Lady dear,
Your treasured letter came this A.M. The Disp. was light this morning & here's a half hour for you before lunch.
The wheels of fate have moved rapidly since I wrote you last. Thanksgiving I spent Thurs. to Sun. in Sherborn with Augustus & my cousin Lewis from Belgium who was in this country for 2 mos. While home I learned for the first time that Augustus is divorcing his wife. Had suspected her of infidelity, announced one A.M. he was going to Montreal for week end, packed his bag & returned to S- on the midnight, let himself in window & found her in bed with another man. Robert sailed with Lewis for 9 mos. abroad on Sat. Dec. 4th. House in S. is to be rented furnished (he'd just bought it & adjoining lot)[.] Lillian & baby are to go to boarding house in N.Y.C. as is he, for winter which decree is funding. He insists on letter her have children half the year if she wonts them & remains unmarried (paramour is now with 5 children), saying she has borne them & should not be deprived of what comfort their presence is to her. He & I have fought to the death over this question of custody, but he remains adamant, so I am thro'. That's what ploughs me up is the thought of those children growing up under bad influence. M is first convert was "Now I shall have to spend the winter at home." I'm sorry for father's sake that she must. Farm goes on but it's much too big for father. I wish I could rid him of it or at least help him finance it, for he will not use money to do so that should go for this purpose.
Business is fearfully bad, & when J.H. doctors fel it the situation is usually acute. Augustus says his firm is just sitting with its feet on the desk waiting for trade. I have plenty of trade but it is not lucrative. I wouldn't care a [hoot] for myself but I wish I could set father up to things he won't set himself up to.
Well, I still move on if it is mechanic like, burrowing in the day's work. It's hard to get down to writing though. I canot [sic] seem to push myself mentally. Am contributing a chapter to a book coming out in April. Have been asked to accept floor (1 of 4) on program of annual conference of Nat. Mental Hygiene Society meeting in Milwaukee Jun 21-29th. Dr. M. said I ought to do it. Have just finished 5 lectures in medical psychology for nurses[.] Embark Jan. 1. on a series for social workers course. Chief couldn't do it & thought I should.
Write when you can.
Esther