(After visit to Scotland)
Exchange Station Hotel
Liverpool
June 10, 1909.
Dear Mother:
A letter from you was waiting for me here when I arrived yesterday afternoon,
and I am glad to hear you are in fairly good health and that you are
enjoying your rides. Keep them up. Fresh air and change
of scene are great tonics.
It is a pity you have not someone to manage for you. If I were
well-off I would live in St. Charles just to keep you company and relieve
you of these worries of managing. I am glad you are making necessary
repairs on the house. It is poor economy to allow property to
deteriorate. The grading of the front and they laying of a sidewalk
will be a fine improvement.
By this time Louise and Jane are at Mrs. Selby's, I suppose. I
wonder how they like their boarding-house.
You don't know how kind and nice the Butcharts were to me. We
have made a mistake in not keeping up a connection with them, as they
are genuinely good people and deeply interested in us. They never
got done asking questions and they had some queer notions about us and
the various relationships. grandma (Durfee) had sent them photos
of Sister Mattie, Lizzie, Fred, Glover and George, and they had not
got them straight.
I don't know whether I told you that the great-grandfather Glenday's
grave is in the Old Rattray churchyard. The building he erected
and occupied as an inn in New Rattray is still standing, though of course
much altered and renovated. His father's name was James Glenday
and he lived in the neighborhood of Forfar, I believe. they seem to
have been eminently respectable, substantial men. They blue blood,
however, comes from the Lindsay side. I got Louise a steamer rug
in Comyn tartan, which is hers. the Lindsay tartan is a pretty
one but not gay. The motto of the clan is "ENDURE FORT"
and there is a coat of arms.
Scotland and England are both beautiful, but the climate is abominable.
We think we have a bad climate in Missouri, but it is nothing to this,
and the people have no idea of real comfort. They are never warm,
except on the few warm days in summer. No wonder they drink an
amazing amount of whiskey.
I am all ready to start tomorrow. The boat is a fine one and I
am anticipating a fine voyage. With no delays, I ought to be in
St. Charles in ten or twelve days.
Till then goodbye. Love to all,
Your affectionate son,
Shirley
Home
