nd with my
sketchbook will give you a better idea of my tour than these scribbles.

Adieu, I embrace you tenderly. _"Votre Amie."_

HEIDELBERG

My dear Mamma,

Having a quiet hour before we leave for Berne, I'll try to tell you
what has happened, for some of it is very important, as you will see.

The sail up the Rhine was perfect, and I just sat and enjoyed it with
all my might. Get Father's old guidebooks and read about it. I
haven't words beautiful enough to describe it. At Coblentz we had a
lovely time, for some students from Bonn, with whom Fred got acquainted
on the boat, gave us a serenade. It was a moonlight night, and about
one o'clock Flo and I were waked by the most delicious music under our
windows. We flew up, and hid behind the curtains, but sly peeps showed
us Fred and the students singing away down below. It was the most
romantic thing I ever saw--the river, the bridge of boats, the great
fortress opposite, moonlight everywhere, and music fit to melt a heart
of stone.

When they were done we threw down some flowers, and saw them scramble
for them, kiss their hands to the invisible ladies, and go laughing
away, to smoke and drink beer, I suppose. Next morning Fred showed me
one of the crumpled flowers in his vest pocket, and looked very
sentimental. I laughed at him, and said I didn't throw it, but Flo,
which seemed to disgust him, for he tossed it out of the window, and
turned sensible again. I'm afraid I'm going to have trouble with that
boy, it begins to look like it.

The baths at Nassau were very gay, so was Baden-Baden, where Fred lost
some money, and I scolded him. He needs someone to look after him when
Frank is not with him. Kate said once she hoped he'd marry soon, and I
quite agree with her that it would be well for him. Frankfurt was
delightful. I saw Goethe's house, Schiller's statue, and Dannecker's
famous 'Ariadne.' It was very lovely, but I should have enjoyed it
more if I had known the story better. I didn't like to ask, as
everyone knew it or pretended they did. I wish Jo would tell me all
about it. I ought to have read more, for I find I don't know anything,
and it mortifies me.

Now comes the serious part, for it happened here, and Fred has just
gone. He has been so kind and jolly that we all got quite fond of him.
I never thought of anything but a traveling friendship till the
serenade night. Since then I've begun to feel that the moonlight
walks, balcony