Nothing could be more delightful, or,
on the whole, more probable to me, than your decision to return to
Outpost, instead of settling in Boston or New York. I can hardly
fancy my cousin Dora changed into a fine lady, and fretting herself
thin over the color of ribbon, or the trail of a skirt; and I am not
surprised that she finds what is called "society" puzzling and
wearisome. Your life, Dora, began upon too wide a plan to bear
narrowing down into conventional limits now; and I feel through my
own heart the thrill with which you wrote the words,--
"I long for the opportunity of action and usefulness; I long for the
freedom of the prairie, and the dignity of labor; I long to resume
my old life, and to see my husband begin his new one."
But, to be quite frank, I was a little surprised that Mr. Burroughs
should enter so heartily into your plan of resuming the farm. To be
sure, I suppose the land-agency, and the practice of his profession,
will occupy most of his time; and his principal concern with the
estate will be to admire your able management of it. You and he, my
dear Dora, seem to form not only a mutual-admiration, but a
mutual-encouragement and mutual-assistance society; and I wish my
partnership with Dr. Gershom was half as satisfactory an
arrangement.
Pages:
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334