1898
United States of America
March 25th, 1898
Fifth Avenue Hotel, Madison Square, New York
My Beloved Angee,
Mail day is near again and now that most of my other letters are written I must begin yours. I noticed a cable report in the paper this morning that a sharp northerly gale was raging in England and I know when the wind blows fiercely that you think of me, but here all is as bright as far as the weather is concerned as a fine June day – my letter to Crosse & Blackwell took me 4 hours to write, so you may imagine it was a pretty fat one – I hope they will be pleased with it. Well both Mr Sarl and myself have met with great encouragement this week – he has been over at Brooklyn all the week and has never before done so much business: I have been plodding away on the New York side and have also opened many new a/cs – the quantities sold are small but we are thankful to make a start. It has put Mr Sarl on his feet and given him great encouragement so that I am hoping he may now be able to make some head way. The people here are very much afraid that Spain really means war against them & there is no doubt that America feels very unprepared for it so they are rushing about now in wild excitement to get ready. On every hand there is the deepest sympathy for the tens of thousands of famine stricken Cubans – should war be declared the places in the South I had intended to visit would probably be attacked, so I should have to alter my course accordingly as I should not care for the experience of being in a city which the Spanish fleet was bombarding – no thank you! I should be like the brave men dear mother used to speak of in the Bristol riots who when the military were called out sent the brave rioters on the march home and with the cry to others they met "Run Bill run they be firing wi' a ball"!
I see poor Mr Gladstone is suffering from cancer in the nostril and has been suffering much pain from it for many months past – God in His mercy roll away the mists of man's thoughts from his soul and make the preciousness of His own thoughts to shine in all their soul comforting power now that the messenger of death is at the door.
Trust you are sustained and comforted my beloved Angee and able to say "Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of They wings will I rejoice" – Psalm LXIII – 7.
Shall probably spend the greater part of another week in New York before going South and hope the business will continue to give us encouragement – I am glad when bed time comes only the nights are so short – and the bed is very stickey[sic] mornings but the young man has to stir his stumps about 6.45 so as to get down to breakfast at 8. Well I must close now with the usual salutations – much love to our dear children and grand children and to you my dearest Angee and believe me.
Your very affectionate Husband