Yours very respectfully,

SEARS, BRADLEY AND SEARS.

[FROM TIP ELDER]

UNIVERSITY CLUB, NEW YORK,

March 20th, 188--

DEAR JERRY:

I needn't say how hearty my congratulations are on your good
luck, need I? What a hit that was! And what a fine use you
are making of it, too! Of course I'll help all I can. I must
hurry to catch this mail-boat, so I will just cut short and
merely say that Latham and Waite, of Union Square, seem to
have put in the best bid for the work and I have told them
to send you the detailed budget and contracts as soon as
they can get them ready. They have connections with a big
brick-yard in Tennessee and say that they can put you up a
very good little hospital, three wards, operating-room, six
private rooms, diet kitchen, dispensary, nurses' dormitory
and suite for superintendent, including one elevator, for
close under $65,000, on very good terms of payment. This
will include all fittings (hardware, etc.) and two fine,
large piazzas, with arrangements for sun parlour, if
desired. Also four bathrooms. Miss Buxton has selected the
site, as I suppose she has written you, and Miss Bradley has
secured another deaconess-nurse for the permanent staff.
Young Collier has done marvellously well down there, and the
generous endowment you offer will take care of two more
boys, Miss Buxton says. Dr. McGee says that Collier has a
real gift for surgery--I think I have got a scholarship for
him at Johns Hopkins, next year.

What a fine little woman that nurse is! She can't speak of
you without her eyes filling with tears. I teased her a
little by saying that if she had not begged you for the use
of that deserted farm-house on your land for a convalescent
home, you would never have learned about the coal and
probably sold the land for a song, so the credit was really
hers--you ought to have seen the sparks in her eyes!

"You have really made him a rich man," I told her.

"I wish I could," she said very soberly, "but it's not money
Mr. Jerrolds needs."

What do you suppose she meant? Anyhow, you've got it, old
fellow, whether you need it or not, haven't you?

The hu