Next morning --- Tuesday.

Raining still --- not enough to see --- you just can feel it misty on your
face ---

I'll be all right if folks just leave me alone --- and ---
well --- I'm
going to be left alone anyway ---

There isn't anything the matter with me except what I told you before --- See!
Dr. Mac said my throat might turn into TB if I wasn't careful --- said it had fine
chances to --- if I wasn't careful.

But I really feel so much better and I've only been here three days ---
He
said TB or pneumonia --- and he rubbed it in so hard ---
that's why I came down here
as he said.

: It's warm here in spite of rain --- The city like a fairy city last night --- look-
ing out into the mist.

#110

Postmarked: San Antonio, Tex

Feb 21 1918

Tuesday afternoon -- waiting for Sibyl.

The sun is shining -- and it's almost hot --

— I wish you were here.

I just came in -

Next day. —

Yesterday morning Lea decided it would be good for our health — hers and mine — to go out to Hot Wells — a sulphur bath — and be soaked and rubbed and scrubbed and kneaded and pounded — so we went — it made me feel great — and Lea was like a runaway horse — We had dinner — Mexican food at a funny little place — and I came home —

I have moved into a room of my own — it's a most remarkable place — Sibyl likes it better than hers — told me to stay home so she could come and see me — Funny how much she likes my being here — — — — it's a queer greenish-blue color and white —

about six — sunset — last night we walked through the Mexican quarter — Sky dark in east — sunglow brilliant on the dark-skinned folks — and their queer faded mixed-colored garments — all the women and girls wear black shawls — or veils — I don't know what to call them — over their heads and hanging down — quite a little white too — chickens — donkeys — fruit stands — things in baskets — little coops of houses — blue — green — orange — any color — They are queer folks — queer too — I don't like to meet their eyes for long — isn't that funny — They are wonderful to look at — squatting around the streets.

I haven't energy enough to work yet but I'm going to in a day or two — It was a wonderful evening — I went to bed right after supper —

This —

I don't know what I was going to say — I was writing this morning
Got up and went to meals but have been in bed all day except for about half an hour's
walk before supper —

— Lea was in all afternoon. I've just had supper and am in bed —

It has been cold today — that is cool and windy —
Yesterday was wonderful and
warm and sunny.

Willard was going to take us to the country today but it was too raw and windy.

Next day — I think it's Thursday — 12 lacking five minutes and I'm not up
yet. It's raining — has been most all morning — stopped now.

I have a mania for going outdoors — rain or shine — really can't stay
in unless stay in bed — so here I've been all morning —

Sibyl sent breakfast up —

I'm quite content to stay here — isn't it absurdly lazy — content to stay here
— still at the same time I want to get up and do things more than ever in my
life —

— if quiet a little while I guess I can.

Gosh but I feel like a fool — so use-
less. It makes me laugh to think of bothering with one little woman when you think
of what's happening on the other side.

Thousands of healthy folks being wiped out.

A couple of folks in Canyon sent you two sets of things from me —

In the
roll — I saw the child's thing on the floor just as I had rolled up the others
and it made me laugh so that I picked it up and put it in — one of my little first
graders last summer.

You better look at them in the morning — take a good night's sleep — get up at
about nine — drink a cup — a big cup of strong black coffee — then lock yourself

up alone in a room before you open the package or roll

---
There wasn't anything to
do with it but send it to you --- I didn't want it with me and I didn't want to
leave it in Canyon ---

There were some oils I couldn't roll so I had to leave them.
It's mostly very rotten stuff --- You will know what colors I hate when you see
the stuff --- The things in the roll should have gone with what I sent last time
--- you will see where they fit in.

-------

I've been sitting here looking at a funny Chinese idol sort of doll silhouetted
against a window --- curtain up just a little --- two feathers in his head --- a
fan --- lavender table top --- red --- warm under it --- hot --- cool red roof
outside --- it's lovely --- Has been one of my chief delights since I've been
here --- in different lights --- always different --- always same ---
always wonderful --- only a doll on a table by a window but surroundings make it as
variable and alive --- give it as many different moods as a person ---

Four letters from you --- two Tuesday --- two today Thursday --- Elizabeth's today
too --- None of them read yet today.

#111

Postmarked: San Antonio Tex

Feb 23 1918

Isn't this the wildest paper you ever saw — Lea spent the night with me
— we just had breakfast and came down here — stopped on the way at the post-of-
fice — your letter about the telegram with the hundred in it — If the chair
hadn't been tilted against the wall I'd have fallen backward out of it.

I'm sorry to excite all of you so much — there is one part of my let-
ters to you that you always ignore — I've told you all along not to bother
not to worry — and you don't pay any attention to it. — — — —

It's a wonderful spring morning — warm and almost sunny — misty sun —
I don't seem to have much of anything to say — The printing office seems to
scatter my thoughts.

— This is really a great place — only I wish you were here
— the river winds around and the trees over it at night lighted with colored
lights — it's like Xmas trees.

I don't know how I feel — a hypo night before last — (it's what Dr. Mac
calls — mixed infection — and that doesn't mean anything to me —) made me
feel rotten yesterday — and my head is a little off this A M but I feel better up
and moving than in bed — it's after seven so you know I haven't been rushing —

Must go — will write later — again today or tomorrow.

I'm sorry the four things were wrinkled — but some way I can't feel that it matters much — I rather liked the blue-green nude.

I want to make more nudes as soon as I feel like working — wanted to for some time — some time before I left Canyon — I'm feeling better — yes, really — but I don't seem to have a feeling of push — I have to have to work — One thing that is great is that there are so many things I want to do — paint, I mean — Thinks look so wonderful to me.

You know — I didn't care — that's not the way to say it — I just couldn't leave that stuff around Canyon — and I hadn't energy to do it up right myself — the nudes specially couldn't be left.

However, it doesn't matter.

The sky is blue — the mist going down like a cloud behind the red-tiled roof of the yellow brick house.

I must go out — can't miss the sun.

I'd like to live out —

(part omitted)

— It's another perfect day now that the sun is out.

#113

Postmarked: San Antonio Tex

Feb 27 1918

Tuesday afternoon - - -

I mailed you a letter this morning -- carried in my pocket all day yesterday --

It was a beautiful day -- Willard came for me about noon -- after having food we began hunting Lea and when we got her -- it took nearly two hours to find her -- we finally found her in my room -- then we went out and got Sibyl and went to the country -- about 30 miles I think -- it was beautiful -- and it was hot --

so funny to be so hot -- We really almost melted -- there was something very incongruous about it all -- but we had an awfully good time -- Willard is so funny --

It was moonlight coming home -- I went to sleep on the back seat -- my muff and Willard's coat for a pillow -- very comfortable lying down --

When we got back -- Oh, I forgot -- we went to a little German town -- two of them -- and visited the saloons in both -- Had taken some club sandwiches that we ate at one saloon -- the walls covered with deer horns, rattle snakes and queer birds and things -- I never saw so many horns --

It was about five then -- Later had to stop to have a tire fixed and ate again in the funniest little six-sided green-latticed house -- green tables -- fried eggs - chili - and bread and beer --

That was the only glass of beer I ever drank that I liked but it seemed to belong with the chili and eggs.
That was about nine --

## Lea and I

Oh -- I don't know -- most anyone would say we should have been home in bed but I don't believe it matters.

When we got back to town Willard thought he had worn us out so he was

going to have us bathed and rubbed —

Gosh — I ought to get clean here —

So took us out to Hot Wells — but it was closed —

Nearly twelve so it wasn't

surprising —

I never saw folks with such a mania for baths.

I slept like a dead woman.

Don't be alarmed about my doing things —

— Lea is leaving day after tomorrow

— and I won't do a stunt like yesterday's again —

I'm tired, today, but it's a new

kind of tired — I rather like it.

Lea phoned

then I came upstairs and in a minute Willard phoned. — I was
down on the porch — it's so warm and — not exactly lazy feeling.

There seems to be
something about the atmosphere here that keeps my brain from working — the wheels
don't seem to care whether they go round or not.

So many different things pulling — I don't have a chance to go very far in
one direction.

Had a letter from the sister this A.M. —

she is great — and best of all is

gaining in weight all the time — 115 —

A cowboy with two coyotes tied to his

saddle just stopped at school to see her.

11:15 — night

Maybe I ought to go to sleep but I want to write a little first. I'm in

bed —

It has been another wonderful afternoon and night — Willard has such

I really talked too much — my throat hurts — but — goodness
— I haven't been able to talk like this before in ages, it seems — and it hurt all
the time up at Canyon worse than it hurts tonight after all this talking.

Goodnight.

You see you needn't worry.

Next morning — nearly 10 — The hypo I had last night hasn't made me feel sick
at all — it's only sore so far —

My room is up in the tree-tops — I wish you could hear the birds —
going to mail this.

#115

Postmarked: San Antonio Tex

March 3 1918

Sunday --- after dinner --- on the porch --- The sun isn't shining but there
are patches of blue in the sky and mushy shapeless clouds.

Give it a little time and

it will probably clear entirely ---

Haven't had sunshine for two days --- one afternoon spent with Willard --- the other --- that was yesterday --- spent at a girl's house --- quiet --- Sibyl - another girl and myself --- a quiet comfortable house like Emily, nice brown eyes.

Her father and I couldn't agree about the War at all --
so absurd to talk about it -- Our discussion had the whole crowd feeling on
needles and pins -- but we got along anyway -- A wonderful blond animal of a
sister -- really marvelous --

A Mexican supper that was most remarkable. I ate so
much I didn't want breakfast this morning --- Sibyl spent the night with me and we
didn't get up till dinnertime --- about eleven she started reading a Masefield
play, "The Faithful" was the name --- I think --- It was queer --- maybe stupid ---
or maybe I was stupid --- I don't know --- In the night it rained and we waked
up and talked a long time -- the rain sounded so nice on the roofs.

----------
Yesterday morning I sat with my feet in the fire all morning talking
to an Army doctor's wife and darning stockings --- I just felt lazy --- She has
been living in Chile -- no children -- nothing to do -- he going to war --
There are lots of women roaming around here with nothing to do -- very miserable
because husbands -- sons -- and brothers are going to war -- and the men -- they
are gloomy about it too -- queer business isn't it --

I seem to feel that the

women could rub off a lot of the gloom if they tried --

This lady is little and

homely -- but cute --

and very miserable.