he wreck. A skyscraper wanted it to
complete its necessary ground space. So I leased it; and the rental
keeps me. The lease will be out in 1989--but no matter for that. Between
1871 and 1890 I had a hard time of it. I tried to repair my fortune and
couldn't do it. Then the building of skyscrapers struck Chicago, and I
came into an income through this lease. I have a good room at the
boarding house and all I wish of everything. Perhaps I shall revise my
will and leave something to Miss Sharpe. I should like to depart from
the customary bequests to hospitals and colleges. If the University
founded by Douglas had not been taken over by the money made by the
Standard Oil Company I might give something to it. Some say that the
University stands for spiritual hardness, a Darwinian scientific which
distinguished Douglas, but I am not sure. Yes, I believe I shall revise
my will in favor of Miss Sharpe. Sometimes I suspect that she wants to
marry me. She talks of nothing but the soul, as Isabel did in Rome. I am
sure I have plenty of soul. I have no one else to give my money to but
Miss Sharpe. My boy died in the middle sixties.

As for the rest, they are all gone. Zoe and I lived happily together
until the rage of the influenza in 1889; then she died. Mr. Williams,
Abigail, Aldington passed away and were buried in a cemetery about a
mile north of the river. Then their bodies were removed somewhere, for
the cemetery was turned into a park. Lincoln Park it is now. Reverdy,
Sarah, gave up the battle years ago. They went to sleep by the side of
their son, Amos, who was killed in the battle of Belmont. Their other
children are scattered to unknown quarters. I know not if they live.

A strange thing happened yesterday. Mr. Williams' grandson called upon
me. He is going to South Africa with a load of mules for the British.
Almost every one in America wants the Boers put down. He asked me to go
along and for a moment I took him seriously. The adventurer in me arose.
Then I became conscious of my stiff legs. Besides was I ever much of an
adventurer after all? Why did I not travel in the splendid forties and
the leisurely fifties? Still I believe I have had as much out of life as
Cecil Rhodes. He started out to be rich. So did I. He got diamonds and
gold. I got land. He wished to see England world-triumphant. I wanted to
see America an ocean-bound republic. I followed Douglas. He was inspired
by Ruskin. For Ruskin had fired young Rhodes