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costliness of travelling with your wife。 Anybody would count the
tickets double； but how few would have remembered … or indeed has
any one ever remembered？ … to count the spontaneous lapse of coin
double also？ Yet there are two of you； each must do his daily
leakage； and it must be done out of your travelling fund。 You will
tell me； perhaps； that you carry the coin yourself： my dear sir；
do you think you can fool your Maker？ Your wife has to lose her
quota； and by God she will … if you kept the coin in a belt。 One
thing I have omitted： you will lose a certain amount on the
exchange； but this even I cannot foresee； as it is one of the few
things that vary with the way a man has。 … I am； dear sir； yours
financially；
SAMUEL BUDGETT。
Letter： TO ALISON CUNNINGHAM
SKERRYVORE； APRIL 16TH； 1887。
MY DEAREST CUMMY； … As usual； I have been a dreary bad fellow and
not written for ages； but you must just try to forgive me； to
believe （what is the truth） that the number of my letters is no
measure of the number of times I think of you； and to remember how
much writing I have to do。 The weather is bright； but still cold；
and my father； I'm afraid； feels it sharply。 He has had … still
has； rather … a most obstinate jaundice； which has reduced him
cruelly in strength； and really upset him altogether。 I hope； or
think； he is perhaps a little better； but he suffers much； cannot
sleep at night； and gives John and my mother a severe life of it to
wait upon him。 My wife is； I think； a little better； but no great
shakes。 I keep mightily respectable myself。
Coolin's Tombstone is now built into the front wall of Skerryvore；
and poor Bogie's （with a Latin inscription also） is set just above
it。 Poor； unhappy wee man； he died； as you must have heard； in
fight； which was what he would have chosen； for military glory was
more in his line than the domestic virtues。 I believe this is
about all my news； except that； as I write； there is a blackbird
singing in our garden trees； as it were at Swanston。 I would like
fine to go up the burnside a bit； and sit by the pool and be young
again … or no； be what I am still； only there instead of here； for
just a little。 Did you see that I had written about John Todd？ In
this month's LONGMAN it was； if you have not seen it； I will try
and send it you。 Some day climb as high as Halkerside for me （I am
never likely to do it for myself）； and sprinkle some of the well
water on the turf。 I am afraid it is a pagan rite； but quite
harmless； and YE CAN SAIN IT WI' A BIT PRAYER。 Tell the Peewies
that I mind their forbears well。 My heart is sometimes heavy； and
sometimes glad to mind it all。 But for what we have received； the
Lord make us truly thankful。 Don't forget to sprinkle the water；
and do it in my name； I feel a childish eagerness in this。
Remember me most kindly to James； and with all sorts of love to
yourself； believe me； your laddie；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
P。S。 … I suppose Mrs。 Todd ought to see the paper about her man；
judge of that； and if you think she would not dislike it； buy her
one from me； and let me know。 The article is called 'Pastoral；' in
LONGMAN'S MAGAZINE for April。 I will send you the money； I would
to…day； but it's the Sabbie day； and I cannae。
R。 L。 S。
Remembrances from all here。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
＇EDINBURGH； JUNE 1887。＇
MY DEAR S。 C。； … At last I can write a word to you。 Your little
note in the P。 M。 G。 was charming。 I have written four pages in
the CONTEMPORARY； which Bunting found room for： they are not very
good； but I shall do more for his memory in time。
About the death； I have long hesitated； I was long before I could
tell my mind； and now I know it； and can but say that I am glad。
If we could have had my father； that would have been a different
thing。 But to keep that changeling … suffering changeling … any
longer； could better none and nothing。 Now he rests； it is more
significant； it is more like himself。 He will begin to return to
us in the course of time； as he was and as we loved him。
My favourite words in literature； my favourite scene … 'O let him
pass；' Kent and Lear … was played for me here in the first moment
of my return。 I believe Shakespeare saw it with his own father。 I
had no words； but it was shocking to see。 He died on his feet； you
know； was on his feet the last day； knowing nobody … still he would
be up。 This was his constant wish； also that he might smoke a pipe
on his last day。 The funeral would have pleased him； it was the
largest private funeral in man's memory here。
We have no plans； and it is possible we may go home without going
through town。 I do not know； I have no views yet whatever； nor can
have any at this stage of my cold and my business。 … Ever yours；
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER IX … THE UNITED STATES AGAIN： WINTER IN THE ADIRONDACKS；
AUGUST 1887…OCTOBER 1888
Letter： TO W。 E。 HENLEY
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH＇； AUGUST 1887。
DEAR LAD； … I write to inform you that Mr。 Stevenson's well…known
work； VIRGINIBUS PUERISQUE； is about to be reprinted。 At the same
time a second volume called MEMORIES AND PORTRAITS will issue from
the roaring loom。 Its interest will be largely autobiographical；
Mr。 S。 having sketched there the lineaments of many departed
friends； and dwelt fondly； and with a m'istened eye； upon byegone
pleasures。 The two will be issued under the common title of
FAMILIAR ESSAYS； but the volumes will be vended separately to those
who are mean enough not to hawk at both。
The blood is at last stopped： only yesterday。 I began to think I
should not get away。 However； I hope … I hope … remark the word …
no boasting … I hope I may luff up a bit now。 Dobell； whom I saw；
gave as usual a good account of my lungs； and expressed himself；
like his neighbours； hopefully about the trip。 He says； my uncle
says； Scott says； Brown says … they all say … You ought not to be
in such a state of health； you should recover。 Well； then； I mean
to。 My spirits are rising again after three months of black
depression： I almost begin to feel as if I should care to live： I
would； by God！ And so I believe I shall。 … Yours； BULLETIN
M'GURDER。
How has the Deacon gone？
Letter： TO W。 H。 LOW
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH＇； August 6TH； 1887。
MY DEAR LOW； … We … my mother； my wife； my stepson； my maidservant；
and myself； five souls … leave； if all is well； Aug。 20th； per
Wilson line SS。 LUDGATE HILL。 Shall probably evade N。 Y。 at first；
cutting straight to a watering…place： Newport； I believe； its
name。 Afterwards we shall steal incognito into LA BONNE VILLA； and
see no one but you and the Scribners； if it may be so managed。 You
must understand I