136 ASTOR STREET
My dear Alice
Esther simply had the first symptoms of nervous prostration, lack of sleep, fainting [etc.] It seemed most necessary to get her away from the children and out into the country. I naturally took the children to Hull-House, but when Mary had the chicken pox & the residents came back into their rooms, Mrs Bowen insisted that [page 2] this was a much better place for them and kindly took us all in. I fell down stairs Monday afternoon Jan'y 4" and have been shut up here in the house since in a very bruised and battered condition, [although] I have committee meetings here and move about the house cautiously.
Eri is at Weber's and will stay there, but the little girls will be here probably until their mother comes back. [page 3]
Louise goes to school and Mary will also as soon as the chicken pox leaves her. They are very good and happy and so far I have been with them all of the time.
I am sorry you didn't like the kimono, it was bought in China town in San Francisco, selected by Mrs Robert Herrick, when she was there, perhaps you are disillusioned about Xmas, last year you didn't like the book I sent -- after all it is only the message of remembrance which reaches [through], isn't it. Please give the kimono to someone and [page 4] forget it -- next year I'll try something quite different. Ethel and Winthrop have gone back to [Lima?] until Ethel's ear heals enough to have the [nerve?] operations renewed. She is a very peachy patient. I am going to write oftener, the Xmas rush was something fearful.
Always, dear Alice, your loving sister
Jane Addams
Jan'y 10" 1909
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