This may not be news
to you, for probably Florence has written you, but it will be news
when I tell you that Maude and her husband, Mr. Merry, will sail on
the same steamer. They have visited Florence and are now here with
me.
"I presume Nathaniel will be very angry, and he may say that I am
responsible, as he did in Quincy's case. I did help Quincy and Alice
and I am going to help Maude and Harry. I am going to allow them five
thousand a year and Alice gives them the free use of the Mount Vernon
Street house. She has written Nathaniel about Mr. Merry taking Dr.
Culver's place as one of Quincy's executors.
"Now, if Nathaniel gets very angry and threatens to disinherit Maude,
just ask him, for me, why it is that all his children have been
married away from home. Has it always been their fault, or is his
home discipline in part, or wholly, the cause? It didn't make so much
difference in Quincy's case, but here in England no girl is married
outside of her father's house, unless it be in church.
"Your children are now all married, and, I think, well married. Let
Nathaniel make the best of it, and, instead of keeping up a family
warfare, change his tactics and become an indulgent, loving father.
"Your sister,
"ELLA.
"P. S. Let Nathaniel read this letter. It will do him good."
Aunt Ella read her letter over before sealing it.
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