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Rome. December 12th.,

Dearest little Gabriella.
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! What an exciting time it must be for you, to have a little cousin to prepare things with! I hope Elizabeth can come to us, another Christmas!

You are lucky to have so many kind people around you of your own family; and you have Dadda.= Really, you are a fortunate little girl! I hear, Dadda looks "very well"; "looks ten years younger"; "looks well and handsome" - from various sources, since the strain of that first month was over. Eggs here are 30¢ a dozen. You can get them right by the door.

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I go out and demonstrate - in the tiny garden - and then the commotion is frightful and takes all day to calm down; no it's better to make a noise oneself and pretend not to hear; which I do. At five, it gets black, and the knock comes, and Ina or Raffaella come in and walk about; and behind my huge bussolotto -, or dark square tent to cover the clay group - I can't see who it is or know until they speak. Then away, under a full moon, to drive, or to dinner alone with them; and very early to bed. I don't get tired in this cold weather; and only Mrs. Mason Campbell or an occasional American, tell me not to "work so hard" ; the others watch the result and leave me alone. For your mother knows pretty well now when to put on the brick! - Love and kisses to you! Mother.