e, my boy. Forgive your old mother if she's seemed a little
cross in this letter, because she isn't really. I shall write Miss
Stone a little letter to-night. God bless you and her (and me), and
fill your lives as full of happiness as your hearts can hold and mine
can hold for you! Good night, my comfort, you best son in the world!

Your devoted

MOTHER.

Yes, yes, I _am_ glad, dear; so glad. Don't misunderstand my letter.
Your mother is glad, honestly and with--yes, I _can_ say it now--with
_all_ her heart.

II

_A Cable to her son._ (_Sent fifteen minutes after the preceding
letter._)

Overjoyed, congratulations, love.

MOTHER.

III

_Letter to Miss Lucy Stone, Troy, N.Y._

VENICE, Thursday.

My dear Miss Stone:

So you are going to take my boy away from me? I begrudge him, just a
little, or just a good deal; but I will tell you a secret. I feel
pretty sure that when I know you, I shall be grateful to him, instead
of grudging, for giving me you for a daughter; and you must love me,
for after all if it wasn't for me you wouldn't have him, would you? He
has been a perfect son, and they make perfect husbands. And he loves
you, my dear. Oh, if you had any doubts of it--which of course you
haven't, or I shouldn't like you--but if you had, could you have read
over my shoulder his letter to me to-day telling me about it.

I am very impatient to know you, but I think we shall be great friends,
through Rob, before we even meet. Till then believe me your--dear me,
what?--your Robert's affectionate old mother.

KATHERINE MILES STANTON.

I am sending with this a little old jewel I found at an old shop the
other day; it is a love ring of the sixteenth century. Perhaps you will
find a place for it. I send it with my love.

K. M. S.

IV

_Letter to Mrs. Henry A. Austin, Troy, N.Y._

Venice, Thursday.

Dear Gertrude:

You will be very much surprised to hear from me, I imagine, as a
correspondence is something we could never keep up. But our friendship
has lasted without it a long time, my dear girl--forty-two years--for
we met when I was fourteen. I haven't forgotten yet how the whole
school became bearable after you took possession of the other little
white cot in my room. It's a year and a half now since I've seen you,
and I've missed you. Troy is so near; and yet, after all, it is so far,
too, when we realize how seldom we meet. You must give me a whole
winter soon! Yes, for I am going to be a