[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]
On Board the Cunard RMS "Laconia" Personal & Confidential
Chester, Monday Oct. 14.
You certainly are one sweet friend to write to me so often. I got two letters from you today, bless your heart. And I'll wager you don't miss me as I miss you. It seems a thousand years since I landed, for the reason that the weather has been cold and damp, no sun, and I have had two rather serious intestinal attacks. The last part of my time in Wells was not cheerful. I really think I had a mild attack of intestinal gripe. But it is an instructive experience for I realize now what Edith Coon has emphasized over and over, the danger of getting chilled, and I am going to try to profit by this experience.
I am all right now, except that I am not up to par on energy and I am going to use the money that people have so kindly given me on little luxuries, like a bedroom fire now and then and a taxi, when I feel like it. Really the awful clammy cold of these rooms that have no heat in or near them is just that of the tomb. Mrs. Young's house on the wall - Edgar House - is the most comfortable place I have seen in England, but as luck would have it, she forgot about my coming and could only keep me for two nights. I have just changed to the Windsor Temp. Hotel, kept by a friend of hers, a pleasant place enough, but unfortunately, the manager says that I can't have a fire in what appears like a perfectly good fireplace in my room. Well, 'nuff said and can't take too seriously what I write and don't spread my woes abroad. Of course I can't help wondering if little things are going to bother me like this all the way thru. It makes me so cross.
There is an interesting set of people at Edgar House, I would like to know them better. One man & his wife have come up to Liverpool form Surrey to see an old servant whom they have bought a cottage for, lovely people, both of them. Another man, churchman from his dress, and his wife, spoke in such a brave, simple way of their losses in the war, a son and nephews. They are certainly fine people, these English, after you get past that first reserve.
The cathedral here in Chester does not thrill me at all. It seems so dark and messy - all cluttered up with framed [...] and petty tablets. And the old houses seem to me less quaint than those in Tewkesbury. Wells Cathedral is to me the gem of the lot. I am so glad I saw it. And I am wondering what sort of preparation for the Hindu temples this lingering among the English cathedrals will give me. I would like to approach the former sympathetically, but I don't feel much of that fine sentiment yet.
Wasn't it sweet of David Eugene Smith to answer my note and to give me the dates of his pausings at various places in the Orient so that I might connect with him? Unfortunately he goes thru before I arrive. I had a sweet letter, too, from Fanny Griswold in Japan, asking me to visit her. I shall miss Martha Clark Pedley.
I have made note of the size of your rug, but it scares me stiff to think of buying one for you - I think the cashmir variety much the more attractie. No don't send the slippers in the locker. I don't need them. But I did mean to wrap them up also to put the little hand glass away more carefully. I am glad you had all that good rain. There has not been much depth of rain fall here, only showers and steady dull, threatening weather.
My love to the friends.
"One of the L.M.S. Hotels" Telephone: Royal 2960.
North Western Hotel,
Liverpool.Friday at one o'clock.
My feelings sure are missed [sic] as I face this next step. If I could only be sure that my family will be all right, that I shall myself react to the new conditions as I need to do for success in touring. Well there is only one way to find out. And at five o'clock I shall know a few things. At the moment my health is all right, but I do not enjoy the English food. No vegetables practically but cabbage and that bloats me so uncomfortably. I nearly wept when at Mrs. Young's in Chester we had lettuce for Sunday night, the first I have seen, that was good.
I have been out this morning and bought a thermos bottle, a pint & a half, strong glass, said to be, for three and nine. You know Miss Doak's broke into a thousand pieces on the way to Newburyport. I got some oranges to use on the steamer, the first I have tasted since I left my native land. They are Sunkist & very good, seven for a shilling. I got my little torch fixed and my smelling salts bottle that leaked itself quite away. I bought some fruit salts, at Edith's recommendation, to keeping intestines clear on the boat. Oh, I have done my duty so far as I can see it, just perfect!
The weather is so funny. I went out this morning in sunshine, when I came to the door of Lewis', it was pouring. Yesterday I came home in a down pour[.] Today the rain stopped. There is no indication of a storm about, so probably the Bay of Biscay will not be worse than usual. If I find my suitcase was not robbed that last night on the Laconia I shall be so thankful, as my steamer things were in it. The cookman roped & sealed it on the wharf, so it must have been all right since then. Cook charged 9 sh. 6 for storage and cartage which seemed to me not bad for two weeks care. I have not been done [sic] there today. They promised to send over any thing that came in yesterday or today.
Yesterday P.M. I went out to the Cathedral for a brief time. It is beautiful isn't it? I would like to see it when really finished & I'd like to see St. John the Divine in New York now. The carving seemed to me very beautiful. Now please don't read this melancholy stuff to others. I talk every thing out to you - alone.
I suppose I must go to get my lunch, another heavy meal, 4-6, but I shall have a very late dinner probably. Oh, dear, I hate to put myself so far away from you, honey dear. Of course I shall send back letters at every possible place.
Best love to you, dear,
S. E. S.