Jane Addams to Mary Rozet Smith, August 25, 1917

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Dearest --

Your dear letter came last night and cheered me mightily. Like the little elephant I feel too raw to leave my dear fostering mother! It is awfully nice here and every thing is going extremely well & if I hadn't put Edith out of her room I would be absolutely comfortable in my mind.

I have just finished the appreciation to Anna [Nicholes] and hope to be able to some other writing with Alice who has become a staunch pacifist. Do get the Aug-number of "7 Arts" & bring it home with you. Randolph Bourne <has> done the best ever in it. [page 2]

I am writing upstairs without any paper but perhaps you won’t mind these scraps. I am so sorry you had the worry of the sick child and the irate friend. I do seem to manage to leave all the hardest things to you. Please write me after Charlotte comes I shall be most anxious to know.

I was more or less tongue tied the day I left. It seemed [page 3] absurd to tell you how Heavenly good you had been to me month after month. I am aghast when I think how much <money> you have spent on me and how much of everything I have accepted like a greedy thing.

I am better at last and I hope that I <may> begin to turn things the other way a little, but whether I do or not I am filled with an affection for you that is almost reverential. [page 4] I don’t know why I write it when I might have said it -- but it is a true word.

Please give my love to the Lady, I wish I knew how ill she really is. The Hamiltons and Clara send much love to you. This is a beautiful island, not like ours of course but much more seductive than I remembered it.

With love to your "house mates" always devotedly yours

J A

Mackinac Island Aug 25" 1917