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The Grand Oriental Hotel
Colombo, Ceylon.
February 5th, 1907.

My dear Colonel,

Your good letters of Dec. 31st and January 2nd have both reached me here --- also your cablegram telling me of General Alger's death and of Anna having gone to Arizona. The passing on of the General is not of course, very surprising as he has had so many calls during recent years, still, the knowledge that he is really gone, that we never shall see him again gives me a real shock. The General was the kindest of men and did much to help others --- more I fancy, than will ever be known. I wish he had never entered politics and I wish he might have kept out of business during the later years of his life. If this had been done, his means would have been amply large, his boys would have had fine practical training, his years might have been prolonged and no one can tell into what direction of great usefulness to many, his big generous nature might have turned.

He was a good friend to me as a stranger, and I shall always remember him with great gratitude. His death will be regretted by thousands. Few men in Michigan ever had a stronger hold upon the affections of the people --- and that is saying a great deal.

Poor Anna seems to pass from one ailment to another --- rheumatism too is such a painful disease! I do hope that Castle Hot Springs will restore her fully. It is most fortunate that the proposed trip to Sicily was given up. All Europe is having such terrible weather --- I have been just beyond its ravages and have revelled the most of the time in the finest weather imaginable. Here too, the days are fine and I am starting right away for the interior. I have planned under the guidance of Mr. Still Ass't. Archeological Chief of Ceylon a trip to the Buddhistic ruins of the Island. They lie in remote districts and are hellish places to reach but this is the last effort I shall ever make to see them, and I undertake the journey with the best of care and armed with every help the authorities can give to any one. Mr. Still is an unusually fine man whom I met by accident only yesterday and he begs me to prolong my stay in Ceylon and help with some important artistic work here: there's lots to be done and I would enjoy trying a hand at identification of potteries, etc., etc., but I must hurry here and get away on the "Prince Ludwig" on the 17th inst. if possible. Failing in this, I shall try