St. Albans, Ash Wednesday, 1900.
Dear Miss Ormerod,—“I lose not a moment” (as the story is) in congratulating you, or myself, on the honour of our becoming a brother and sister in Laws, as one of my nieces points out in a newspaper. The Princess of Wales has only the inferior position of a sister in Music, and those in Medicine are quite common now. I am sorry that we, neither of us, dare venture to go out and pay our duty in person in this weather—as unique as your new position—and I was sorry to miss you the last time you came here. My dear wife, who has been worse than I am though more capable of recovery, is slowly doing so. She was in an alarming state for some time under the abominable influence of the general pest, influenza.
Though I write badly and with difficulty, I am better in general strength, but shall never be well. However, I am thankful to be no worse, and to have a nice series of benevolent relations of two generations here, and to be here instead of London or Bath. Tea generally goes on at 4½ now, and we shall hope not to be disappointed if you look in again, wearing your red hood when you have acquired it. With very kind regards and rejoicings from all our ladies.
I am, yours ever,
Grimthorpe.
N.B.—I hope you are duly elated at the prospect of a Dean and Chapter here. I defied the late Archdeacon Grant who agitated for it, to tell us definitely any single practical bit of good it could do, and he declined to try.
Mr. L. O. Howard wrote again on:—
May 10, 1900.
My Dear Miss Ormerod,—I am greatly pleased to receive your letter of April 30th with the newspaper clippings. I had read substantially the same account in American newspapers, but did not know, of course, of your pleasant meeting with Mr. Choate. He is a man who is highly esteemed on this side of the Atlantic, not only for his legal ability but for his tact and other good qualities. I do not know him personally, but he is a national character. His name is known from one end of the country to the other, and his clever sayings are repeated from Seattle to Key West, and from Portland to San Diego. In March I attended the annual banquet of the trustees of the Shaw Botanic Gardens in St. Louis, and responded to the toast of Henry Shaw. The man who sat at my right, a distinguished college president, told me many Choate stories, and succeeded in filling my mind so full of Mr. Choate that when I was called upon to speak I had almost forgotten what I had intended to say. We are all of us here delighted about your doctorate. Entomology and Economic Entomology have been steadily assuming a higher place in the minds of the people during the past twenty years, and this honour which has come to you is the culmination of our advance up to the present time. Wishing you many more years of work and happiness (work must mean happiness to you), believe me, my dear Miss Ormerod, sincerely yours,
L. O. Howard.