It is distressing. It is as pathetic as it can be, the way ma’s infirmities affect her. May I never be old with ruined faculties!

I have written mas, as you see. It will be many a long month, I fear, before Livy’s health & the heavy requirements of her family & house keeping will make it safe for her to add to her freightage of care. There has been no time since last spring when it would have done to invite ma.

How is Wm. The Conqueror progressing? I don’t care to have him in full perfection yet, but want him in nearly any imperfect shape that will answer for me to experiment on. I could build him in such shape myself, in a couple of hours, but I can’t spare the couple of hours. If I had him to experiment on, I could soon perfect the game to my liking.