Galatz
12th October 1881
My dear Eugénie,
Many thanks for your letter of 25th Sept. for your wishes for my birthday. We have had a very busy year altogether & it has gone by very quickly.
The summer has not been so very hot, we had more rain than usual. We have been staying quietly here. I could not get away till late in September, as I was alone in the Bank. Then it suddenly got very cold, so it was no use going anywhere, although I had intended taking Hubert for a few days to a place on the Black Sea. I have been very well all the summer, no doubt the change of air last year did me a good deal of good. Then I had some cricket in the summer, that is very good for me. I always wish I could keep a horse, but it would cost a good deal of money one way & another, so I will wait till I am richer, but exercise is very needful for me after all the work & bother of the Bank.
Florence was not well twice in the summer & nurse was very ill with fever. Now we are all of us very well.
A curious thing happened a little while ago. A Mr. & Mrs. Crasse & their little girl of three arrived here in a steamer from England on a pleasure trip. The child was ill on arriving – the same illness as dear little Harold & died at the Hotel. Mr. Crasse was very ill also of typhoid fever & we had to look after them as well as we could as they were introduced to us by some friends in England.
Happily, all the English people here did all they could & we got him into a sort of private hospital just started by our Doctor & now he is quite well, only still too weak to travel home. This has given us a good deal to attend to the last six weeks. I never saw anything so wretched as when I first saw them in the Hotel. The child in convulsions, Mr. Crasse delirious & poor Mrs. Crasse quite distracted. The little girl is buried next to Harold.
I got Fred Robinson’s circular letter & sent him full authority to do as he though the best. I doubt whether Uncle Tom will agree. He will most probably consider that he is bound to try & get the money for his own children. I hope it will be settled without a fresh lawsuit.
Ethelwyn talks very fairly now. Hubert is not at all fond of his lessons, makes but little progress. We are thinking of sending him to school. I am glad yr children get on so well. I don’t know when I shall be able to pay you a visit again, but I hope to some time or other. I am glad to hear Julius is well.
With much love from us both
Believe me
Yr affectionate Brother
Fred
