Viewing page 845 of 978

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

YAAMI HOTEL,
Maruyama Park, 
Kyoto, Japan.

Kyoto Nov.10th,1909.

Dear Colonel Hecker,

Your good letter of Oct.15th is received and read with much interest. It is good to know of the activity in business at home and I am especially glad, for many reasons, that Great Lakes affairs are looking so well --- the Ashtabula yard should, I think, prove eventually better than the one at Detroit. Thank you for answering both Richmond of New York and Obach of London exactly as you did. I have during past years had several opportunities to buy both pictures - The "Irving" could have been had for [symbol]400, but Whistler objected to my buying it, so I did not.

The portrait of Dr. Whistler, I had in Detroit, last winter, on approval, and declined and returned it to London promptly.

What a humiliating muddle the Crane affair, but how fortunately it ended for the U.S.A.

I hope that our President won't stumble again by promoting Sec'y. Fletcher to the post.

Poor Charlie Swift! He is often in my mind.

The postponement of the opening Exhibition in the Memorial Hall at Ann Arbor suits me very well. I am glad particularly that the building will have longer time to dry out.

I am enjoying very quiet days in old Kyoto. Many hours daily are spent in walking over these beautiful hills, which I am sure you remember, and in sitting under the maples and pines of these ancient temple-gardens, which I know you admire. The coloring and texture of the delicate foliage of the Kyoto maples is now at its most perfect state. Night before last the first frost came. Early this morning a smart rain shower followed by some mist, and driven away finally by the sun and gentle breezes, started the day most wonderfully. So, from about 8 A.M. till 5 P.M. I put in the time in three superb old gardens, bedecked with falling maple leaves and refreshed by the