P. S. Don’t read this, to anybody. It might straggle into print, & that would not do at all.

government house, ottawa.

Monday,

Well, sweetheart, of course I meant to leave here early s Saturday morning; then at 4. 30 p. m.; then this morning early; then this afternoon. But one enterprise after another has made a postponement; & now, since I wrote you before breakfast, I have & received your second letter, wherein I find to my mighty relief & comfort that you are well, I have postponed once more (till 8 tonight) in order to shoot some rapids with the Governor General & Lord John Hervey & Miss Hervey, on a raft at 3 or 4 this afternoon. Now, however, a big storm has set in, & if it breaks up the expedition I shall expect to leave at 4. 30. But in any case I shall spend the night in Montreal & go through by daylight to Hartford tomorrow. After such an energetic week I think a night journey would about finish me.

I had a most enjoyable Sunday yesterday. The Governor General, the Princess, Miss Hervey & such others of the official family as had to go to church, went; & Lord Hervey & I played billiards, in the most wickedly comfortable way; in after luncheon Miss Hervey & I played a few games of billiards; then His Excellency, Miss MacNeil, & I, & three dogs, took a five-mile walk through the woods & by the river, getting back at 6 p.m.; then all hands, including the Princess, played lawn tennis until nearly 8, & delayed dinner a good deal. I did not play very well; still I believe I could learn something of the trick of that game if I should stick to it a few days longer. The Princess asked me to read, in the evening, & of course I did. After a smoke, the day ended, at 12. 30 a.m.,—an hour earlier than usual, everybody being pretty well tuckered out—not tuckered out by that day’s exertions, but by the accumulation of fatigues.

I was provided with only 3 white neckties, & they were rather shabby ones, too. They are shabbier, now. My dress coat has a big moth hole between the shoulders; but I have blacked the white lining underneath with ink, & I suppose it hardly ever shows; in fact the wise Princess said——but dear me it is luncheon time. How swiftly the time does fly!