with its
delicate tracery in frost; the tall-stemmed alders echoing your shots to
skyward; the big dense timber with its springy ground all saturated with
the fragrance of the mounting sea: I seem like something dead whispering
to you from the tomb. Nothing lasts longer than twenty-four hours in New
York--not even a memory, so no one misses me. It's another of God's
jollies and I know I'm ungrateful dear, for you are thinking of me I
know, with my dear old "Sport" ready to point for you tomorrow, just to
receive your pats of recognition and thanks. My feelings are worn into
meaningless smoothness like the head on an old coin, and because I have
added my quota of absurdity to the morning papers I am no longer
interesting. But, pshaw! one can't buy cocaine for a nickel, and as I
could live extravagantly on the interest of my debts, I haven't more
than five cents to invest.

Don't mind this slump in grit--it will return to par and slang tomorrow.
Keep a record of all you do to send to me, and above all--win the cup.
With whom are you shooting?

I will now stuff the cracks of my door with medicated cotton, open the
portholes and smoke my cigarette alone--Lord preserve me, if anybody
knew! See if you can't get the Humane Society to form a branch out here
to feed and water the widows.

I have just returned from a little walk with Carlton--I suppose my eyes
prattled, for he smiled at me through his wrinkles and was rather more
thoughtful of my comforts than usual. His _Insouciance_ is charming and
always turns the tide of my melancholy. He is the only man who ever
ventured to stand on my tack and take me broadsides. We have framed up a
little Bacchic plot to be enacted on our way back from the Post where I
shall soon meander to mail this on the late Rock Island.

I am certainly in love, because I know the symptoms, but I can't tell
with whom. Some temperature, high pulse and strange flutterings--but who
is the victim? Bern or Howard in New York or Carlton here? The thought
of all of them stirs me, so how am I to know which is in the lead? Hope
the period of incubation will soon be over and the blooming thing assert
itself. I have often been vaccinated and the thing always takes, but
still I am not immune and never will be until I am six feet under, even
if I live to be an hundred years old! Did you catch the an? But it's
disgusting not to know whether it is the measles or something worse,
however I am taking all precaution