th 50 minor Reformers who are in for 1 and 5-year
terms. Thank you a thousand times Joe, you have praised me away above my
deserts, but I am not the man to quarrel with you for that; and as
for Livy, she will take your very hardiest statements at par, and be
grateful to you to the bottom of her heart. Between you and Punch
and Brander Matthews, I am like to have my opinion of myself raised
sufficiently high; and I guess the children will be after you, for it
is the study of their lives to keep my self-appreciation down somewhere
within bounds.

I had a note from Mrs. Rev. Gray (nee Tyler) yesterday, and called on
her to-day. She is well.

Yesterday I was allowed to enter the prison with Mrs. Hammond. A Boer
guard was at my elbow all the time, but was courteous and polite, only
he barred the way in the compound (quadrangle or big open court)
and wouldn't let me cross a white mark that was on the ground--the
"death-line" one of the prisoners called it. Not in earnest, though, I
think. I found that I had met Hammond once when he was a Yale senior
and a guest of Gen. Franklin's. I also found that I had known Capt.
Mein intimately 32 years ago. One of the English prisoners had heard me
lecture in London 23 years ago. After being introduced in turn to all
the prisoners, I was allowed to see some of the cells and examine their
food, beds, etc. I was told in Johannesburg that Hammond's salary of
$150,000 a year is not stopped, and that the salaries of some of the
others are still continued. Hammond was looking very well indeed, and
I can say the same of all the others. When the trouble first fell upon
them it hit some of them very hard; several fell sick (Hammond among
them), two or three had to be removed to the hospital, and one of the
favorites lost his mind and killed himself, poor fellow, last week. His
funeral, with a sorrowing following of 10,000, took the place of the
public demonstration the Americans were getting up for me.

These prisoners are strong men, prominent men, and I believe they are
all educated men. They are well off; some of them are wealthy. They have
a lot of books to read, they play games and smoke, and for awhile they
will be able to bear up in their captivity; but not for long, not for
very long, I take it. I am told they have times of deadly brooding and
depression. I made them a speech--sitting down. It just happened so. I
don't prefer that attitude. Still, it has one advantage--it is only a
tal