t with you and dear mother. George sits by
me, piously reading "Adam Bede." I was disappointed in the "Minister's
Wooing," which he brought from Germany, and can not think Mrs. Stowe
came up to herself this time, whatever the newspapers may say about it;
and as for the plot, I don't see why she couldn't have let Mary
marry good old Dr. Hopkins, who was vastly more of a man than that
harum-scarum James. As to "Adam Bede," I think it a wonderful book,
beyond praise. I hope these literary observations will be blessed to
you, my dear. Mrs. Tholuck sent me a very pretty worsted cape to wear
about house, or under a cloak. We went to Lausanne last Wednesday
(George, A. and I) to do a little shopping for Christmas, and had quite
a good time, only as life is always mingled in sweet and bitter, bitter
and sweet, we had the melancholy experience of finding, when we got
ready to come home, that Jules had taken a drop too much, and was in a
state of ineffable silliness, which made George prefer to drive himself.

We begin now to think and talk about Paris. We have been buying this
afternoon some Swiss chalets and other things, brought to the door by
two women, and I had hard work to keep George from taking a bushel or
two. He got leaf-cutters enough to stab all his friends to the heart.
Most of our lady friends will receive a salad-spoon and fork from one
or the other of us. In fact, I have no doubt we shall be seized at the
Custom-house as merchants in disguise. Well, I must bid you good night.

The latter part of December her husband was requested to go to Paris and
take the temporary charge of the American chapel there. He decided to do
so, with the understanding that she and the children should soon follow
him. But scarcely had he left Geneva, when first one and then another of
the children was seized with scarlet fever. Here are a few extracts from
her letters on the subject:

_Dec. 31st._--Jules had hardly gone to the office, when I became
satisfied that G. had scarlet fever beyond a doubt, and therefore sent
Jeanette instantly to town to tell the doctor so, and to ask him to come
up. He came, and said at once I was quite right.... As to our leaving
here, he said decidedly that it _could_ not be under less than forty
days. I can not tell you, my darling, how grieved I am for you to hear
this news. Now I know your first impulse will be to come home, and
perhaps to renounce the chaplaincy, but I beg you to think twice--thrice