Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-10-11

DEAR FRIEND: You appear to be faith
full still to your old custom of writing let
tiers only of congratulation or of condo
lence. Since my fathers death have re-
ceived no word from you except the usual
New Years greeting, couched in the
stereotyped phrase of the season, and this,
notwithstanding my numerous epistles to
YOU. Now, the news of my falling from
my horse and breaking my leg seems to
have induced you to let me know you
sometimes think of me. Something seems
10 prompt me always to pour into your ears
whatever touches or concern me, just as in
the dear old college days when we studied
together and honestly shared our room,
or dressing gowns, our pleasures and our
money, and even the favor of the /" fair
hostess of the Pitcher" What would
not give now for companion who would
brighten my lonely home for me
Oh. tell you, breaking leg and being
confined to ones room is one Of the great
est misfortunes; particularly when one
lives in the country on an isolated farm.
The terrible loneliness, the mortal tedious
ness Every morning the entire house
hold comes, one by one, to inquire if
Master" suffers much they are some
how quite proud of the Sufierings of the
Master" Lately three of the house
servants gave the gardeners lad drub-
bling because he dared to compare 4 frac-
ture of the arm which he once sustained.
with my misfortune The doctor, too,
cannot endure. Console YOURSELF saws
he, with imperturbable calmness, rest
and ennui are my best remedies" | am
gust anxious to see if the miserable fellow
will put these items into his bill. After
he had wrenched my limb into place, and
that, too, in no very gentle manner, he
coolly remarked, THAT was no easy work
for me, and if your valet here had not held
so firmly | could not have helped YOU ::
/ should truly, never have thought that
man, who has been Lieutenant of
cavalry. would have made so much ado
over such a simple operation; :" and | had
to bear this, and be civil to him, for in this
forsaken place no other surgeon Is to be
found
never could appreciate my fathers
preference Tor this property, and now ii is
gust incomprehensible to me. He always
insisted that had a greater prediction
for the life of country gentleman than
for that of "a warrior hold" and put into
his will the clause bidding me give up my
commission, and undertake the manage
ment of this estate. Oh, it was a most
egregious blunder! Ny position as Lieu
lot II.
my father always kept, testify | filled to
pertection-at least in time of peace; but
j was never born for farmer. The pres
ent condition of the property would con-
vince even my lamented father of this fact
In connection with the place there is one
subject Of which | have gained some
knowledge, through constant experience of
the necessity, and this Is the signing Of
mortgages, but this even grows more diff
cult and irksome Us time goes on. In gen.
eral, in all the affairs of life, it appears rs
If fate denies to me the secret Of success.
If ! have game OF cards, / lose from the
outset; if | bet on a race, you NAV de
pend on il my horse is sure to lose. With
this consciousness of an opposing fate, Of
an estate sunk deeply in debt, of an I'M
manageable fracture of ones bones. and
beyond all, in ennui uncomfortable and I'M
natural, am spending these DAYS of ad-
yersity. | had thought OF hanging the
doctor and myself by means Of the band
ages, and of graciously permitting the
oyerseer, the iootmen and the servant
girls to show their devotion Inv
siIspending themselves on the hooks
in the servants hall. Luckily. /
was prevented from carrying this
murderous scheme into execution-and bv
a newspaper; truly journalists are some
times good for something-unintenti
ally, OF course. Here is the paragraph.
which set my every thought and feeling in
commotlon: Two young and pretty Eng
fish ladies, belonging to the best families
and possessing fortunes in their own right.
were married on the same day in the Eng
fish church at Montreux on Lake Geneva.
one to a handsome young fisherman and
the other to his brother, a stalwart wood
cutter"
Just as soon as | recover, will mort
gage the estate to the utmost once more
| will make an effort to win success; ! will
go to Lake Geneva. What fisher-lads and
wood-cutters can accomplish, should not
be impossible for Lieutenant Whoever
has suffered the miseries that | have, in
solitude should seek gentle companion
for life's journey. Perhaps you remember
that ! always was an advocate of matri-
mony, and an especial admirer of the Eng
lish women. Yours, RUDOLPH.