TO GEORGE ENGELMANN.
July 6, 1867.
... Well, I have been free from much college work for ten days, and am quite free after Wednesday morning.
I seem as well as possible, bright and clear, and should be content just to visit my old mother and come right back to work on Californian plants, which I have been looking at for a few days. But my wife says I shall take four weeks, and on being weighed I find that my former 140-143 lbs. is reduced to 131.
So I must waste time and money in traveling, which I am reconciled to, as Mrs. Gray needs it much.
From Oneida County, New York, I am going (with Mrs. G.) to drive into northwest and central Pennsylvania and then visit a sister in Michigan. Mrs. Gray insists that we must go to Chicago, which she wishes to see, though I do not. I hate towns, especially new ones. Only think how near I shall be to you!
So you saw old Bigelow, who is quite delighted with Shaw’s grounds, etc.
Torrey has just made me a little visit. Good, kind soul he is....
August 15.
We got home three days ago. Hot weather broke down my wife’s courage, as I feared, and we went no farther west than Tecumseh, Michigan; made a short visit to Sullivant at Columbus, then meandered through west and north of Pennsylvania to central New York again, and hearing of Mrs. Gray’s father’s illness came rapidly home....