Esther Loring Richards, M. D.
1316 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MarylandOct. 14th, 1923.
Lady dear,
I don't know how you can ever forgive me for the way I have failed to connect with you this summer. Father got better, but I caught the hardest cold I have had since grippe 2 years ago. Went into Boston one day to tak[e] bank books for father and Mary Davis (father doesn't go in town any more for which I am grateful). It was a hot day & I walked from Park Square -> Pemberton Sq -> Court St. -> Devonshire & So. Station. Next day it came off cold, & the change fixed me. I was in bed two days, then a crown came off my tooth when I had been pronounced OK by the dentist a week before. Also broke my glasses when father wanted the herd tested for tuberculosis & asked me to see it thro'. I left Sherborn Oct. 6th & arrived here Sunday A.M. catching more cold on the sleeper. Monday & Tues. were full days at the Hosp. Tues. night I left for Columbus, Ohio - via B. & O. - a terrible route, - rough, sea-sick road beds, poor food & flus in diner. Arived here Fri A.M. & came home at noon that day & Sat. after Disp. was over, I don't feel well, & am uncertain with it is mental attitude afflicting my body or vice versa. I ache continuously & cough & blow like Fulton's original steamboat. By 10 A.M. I am exhausted & wringing wet. My work doesn't interest me & I am not my usual self. Of course there is the possibility of all this being due to my kick against the full time system of which I am now a part, & the fact that the Hosp. has very quietly & cleverly cheated me out of $500 of the salary I was supposed to get. I wrote Dr. Meyer about it early in Sept. & he never acknowledged my letter, nor has he mentioned the subject since I got back. As for other psychogenic material I could mention the fact that the Chief has turned down 2 men (well equipped) who asked to be my assistant for the coming year. They came to me & asked if they would be agreeable candidates & I said they would. The Chief never spoke to me about their asking. One left the Clinic after 3 years' stay because he wouldn't work on the Chief's first [?] ward longer. On the other hand the Chief wrote me 2 good letters from abroad saying he was proud & pleased of the reputation I was making abroad, that everywhere he went & met our graduates they were enthusiastic over my teaching etc. He also deplored the fact that I was working too hard but said he saw no help in sight. Now I know all these things eat into my subconscious & could easily give me the somatic symptoms I have mentioned above. So much for the history of my life.
By the way I got a curious letter from your "Field Secretary" yesterday. It was not a circular letter but addressed to me personally I should judge. It asked me to loan "a minimum of $5000" to the College for working collateral. I was astounded. Aside from my life insurance endowment policy & the small amount mother left me in bonds I haven't anything except my salary which is $4500 a year. I was to have gotten $5000. I suppose this idea of opulence originated from the interview my landlady had in Sept. with a man from the Mercantile Credit Co. who called at the house to get dots on my credit & financial rating. I couldn't imagine why he should do it until that letter came in yesterday. She "strung" him along to make a good story telling him my credit was good for $20000! Well, such is life.
I saw Eliz. McKee in Boston. She looks as if life had bruised her somewhere. It gets us all sooner or later. The trick is to keep on going till the end.
Good night & my love to you always.