East 66th street.

Benj. K. Jordan, Esq.

Dear Sir:

On second thoughts, after you have left me, I have decided to ask you
to write Mr. Kennington as follows--I mean I will give you the idea of
what I wish said: Acknowledge the receipt of his letter, and say I
shall be delighted to sign the paper he proposes at his earliest
convenience. I must ask, however, that he submits the document through
you, etc. (the same as we agreed on just now in our interview). Now,
besides, you must demand for me the following changes or corrections,
or whatever is right to call them, in the paper. First, the sum of
$---- is too small; $---- must be added to it. Also, I am not willing
to give up all my homes. Either the house in New York, or in Newport,
or on Long Island must be made over to me. And I positively refuse to
part with the ruby necklace to one of my daughters unless I should
choose to do so of my own free will. For the other jewels I have no use
whatever. You can express that as you see fit. Ask him to let me hear
as soon as possible.

Yours truly,

GERTRUDE CORTE KENNINGTON.

Tuesday.

The Summer

A Letter

Grand Hotel de l'Europe,

Aix-les-Bains,

Sunday.

My Dear Mary:

Our summer has been a perfect failure. I said in the very beginning if
we followed John and the children's ideas it would be; but as I was in
the minority I gave in. Fortunately we did catch the tail end of the
London season. The others wanted to go straight on to Paris, but for
that once I put my foot down--and all the trunks as well. It was very
warm; still there was a great deal going on, so we didn't mind the
heat, at least I didn't. Heat in London during the season is such a
different thing from heat in Switzerland or some dull seaside place,
where there is not sufficient distraction to take your mind off it. I
was doing something every minute. That's the charm of London. Every
hour of the day there is something, and if there ever was a dull
interval I dropped into one of the picture galleries. You know you have
to do that sort of thing over here. People talk about pictures, and
some do it very well, too, and you really meet painters out. The
children go and see things that are good for their education, you
know--the Tower, where Mary Queen of Scots, or Anne Boleyn, I forget
which, was beheaded, and the--well, all sorts of places like that. The
heat made them rather irritable, and Evelyn had a rash, but I thought
it was good