sick, or weak; it is a sort of
sea-air appetite. Your letters are not a thousandth part long enough,
but if you wrote all the time I suppose they wouldn't be.... You see I
am experimenting with two kinds of ink, hoping my letters may be more
easy to read. George tried it the other day by writing me a little note,
telling me first how he loved me in black ink and then how he loved me
in blue, after which he tore it up; wasn't that a shame? Anna writes
that you seemed miserable the day she was at your house. The fact is,
people of such restless mental activity as you and I, my dear, never
need expect to be well long at a time--for, as soon as we get a little
health we consume it just as children do candy. George and I are both
able, however, to take long walks, and the other day we went to see the
castle of Chillon. I was much impressed with all I saw. Under Byron's
name, which I saw on one of the columns, there were the initials "H. B.
S."--"H. B. Smith," says I. "You don't say so!" cries George, "where?
let me see--oh, I don't think it can be his, for here are some more
letters," which I knew all the time, but for all that H. B. S. _does_
stand for H. B. Smith. There are ever so many charming walks about here
and from some points the scenery is wonderfully picturesque. I never was
in the country so late as to see the trees after a frost, and although
the foliage here is less brilliant, it is said, than that of American
forests, I find it hard to believe that there can be anything more
beautiful than the wooded mountains covered with the softest tints of
every shade and coloring interspersed with snowcapped peaks and bare,
gray rocks. The glory has departed somewhat within two days, as we have
had a little snow-storm, and the leaves have fallen sadly. We began to
have a fire yesterday and to put on some of our winter clothing; yet
roses bloom just outside our door, and mignonette, nasturtiums, and a
variety of other flowers adorn every house. The Swiss love for flowers
is really beautiful. I wish you would let the children go to the
hot-house which they pass on the way from school and get me some
flower-seeds, as it will be pleasant to me to have the means of giving
pleasure. I presume the gardener would be able to select a dozen or so
of American varieties which would be a treasure here. I amuse myself
with making flower-pictures, with which to enliven our parlor, and
assure you that these works of art are remarkable spe