Bucharest
17 March 1870
My dear Biche,
I was glad to get your letter of last Jan and was sorry of your having hade the gripe and hope all that is now a thing of the past. I hear Lucille has been quite ill again but hope she is alright now. Demandez lui si elle se [?] pour le sauvage don’t elle a le portrait.
We have got another of touch of winter the other day. I had left off my overcoat & now even have a foot of snow tho’ it has been melting today. I am sorry for its on the streets [?] getting home now we must wade thro’ slush again for a week at least. I hope you are still making progress at school. Where do you […] first examinations at the Hotel de Ville! Florence tells me you are going to be confirmed this year, so I suppose are attending Mr Gardiner’s lectures.
I feel sorry when I think that you should be without our Mother’s help to teach you & explain things as she did to all of us at that time. You especially were always the object of her greatest care and the youngest & most feeble, but […] prove us when here he did will also […] help for you if you ask for it and you may be sure I will not forget to pray for you that this may […] be a blessed time for you. I have been thinking much of last year this last few days & today especially the anniversary of our Mother’s departure. But it is much easier for me out here than for you all at home & I can think more of her happiness. However […] of the […] of her death, which it must be difficult to get out of one’s thoughts at home where everything reminds one of her. If anything puzzles you or Polly […] of questions Florence be always glad to help you. & knows all those sorts of things as well as I do money matters. I hear Father is going away for a few days, so I hope he will have some rest which he must need after the fatiguing work he had all this year. I have had one or two lines from Ned […] then saying he had not time to write. I shall not post this tomorrow as I want to write to Polly and send both letters together. Remember me to the [J…] & all other friends. I don’t know yet at all when I can come back. Money is hard to make even out here but I am getting on by degrees. I have not heard from Gus since […]. I hope you have still good news of him. Tell someone to send me out Walter’s address. I want to write to him soon. You will hardly be able to read this, I have been writing so much my hand is quite tired. I expect in a month it will be hot, I hope then to be more comfortable abode. I have been very unfortunate since I came out here & and indeed good rooms are not easy to get. Good night; give my love to everybody.
Yr affectionate brother
Fred J. Mourilyan
