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course be enough if one could depend on more than two fine days in a week.  But I am going to try it any how.  No new prospect for Italy - It does seem hard for me to have to take a companion—

I have nothing new and interesting to tell about this week- except that I took a most beautiful walk one morning with Monsieur Courant a French Artiste (2eme medaille) to a little long deserted old church, St. Jean, standing on an exquisite close green lawn under beech trees - led to by the loveliest of chemin creux - about which I could only say that they were trees, corners and grass—  And that would give you no idea of the loveliness and color and character - of it all—

Monsieur Courant is a little ponderous but not at all the wicked Frenchman—  He speaks fearful English, has blue eyes like a baby, and is a hard worker and an enthusiast about nature - a little stout, a 


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little old, and somewhat pathetic—  He was a pupil of Meissonnier and friend of Detaille and talked about them all.  Altogether it was a very interesting and novel experience - six miles long, and I was'nt very tired.  We sat down to rest near an old well, a spring with an arch over it - old - old - old - said to have miraculous properties - but we did'nt try it.

So Belle is thinking again of coming over here. I hav'nt an idea that she will. They have the craziest way of thinking they may do things and then not doing them—  It would'nt be a cheap thing to do—  But it would be awfully jolly to see them—

Oh, Aunt Eliza if I could only take you to Italy instead of May - But I ought'nt to tantalize you.  I can't help thinking of it.

I have two or three unanswered letters of Dr Bacon's.  It is hard to know what to do with him - And I wish Daisy were not coming to West Phila—  He