April 30.
S.S. TAIYO MARU
Dear Edith
Your letter came just as we were sailing from Hong Kong to Manila -- and fancy my pleasure on discovering in the America book store in Manila a copy of your novel. We [seized] it eagerly of course and during our few hectic days in the Philippines were tormented by a desire to escape from some of the programs and hospitalities of the lurid [page 2] Filipinos long enough to read it. Now we are sailing the China Sea and are reading "The Invisible Gods" with rapture. We are both wholly absorbed in it and only regretful that it was ever cut and so will not last longer.
Miss Addams sends her love to you and her [congratulations] on the book. She is filled with remorse that we ever allowed such conditions to grow up in Chicago and is forecasting Joe's [page 3] fate with deep gloom.
I'm afraid that I forgot to leave instructions about sending [checks] for the colored children in January and April. Thank you for reminding me of them. I have written my brother's secretary, Miss Lagen, and have asked her to send you a [check] for two hundred and fifty dollars, which will pay [page 4] my obligation for the first half of the year. If you don't mind I'll leave the mid-summer payment until my return in September. I'm afraid I have not left enough money to cover that. The report of the year's work of the Colored Committee was interesting and encouraging. Give my love to your family please, and
believe me
Always affectionately yours
Mary Rozet Smith
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