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  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 12/26/1913

    20 Holford Place

    Percy Circus

    London, England

    December 26, 1913

    My Dear Boy,

    Christmas is past but things did not seem much different from other days. Everything quiet in the big city and to me rather lonly without awer boy for his Christmas dinner. But I hope the next one we will have it together.

    I felt like I would like to come back yesterday regardless of sailing or anything, but the little Boss with her usual good sense and common reason presented the difficulties in the way of such a move. And as usual overpowered me by argument that we stay till spring. So you see as it was in the beginning, is now and probably allways will be she is still Boss, for the best.

    Well your last letter to arrive dated December 8th. You seemed rather purturbed about the Dutchman coming over all except Dr. Heuer. Realy I don't see where it hurts you any by the change and may benefit you especialy if he is not able to do brain work. However you know all theese things best. Is the man ahead of you who is talking of leaving able to do brain work. There seems lots to clear away before things are properly straightened aut, to practice the new method. I thought it would have all been settled long ago with you having a good job, but this is not the first time I have figured wrong. However you seem to have lots of friends and lots of work. I rather think you have plenty to trouble your mind with without writing articles for Mr. Holt, yet it is very kind of Dr. Bloodgood to suggest this method to you.

    I heard a lecture on character building last Sunday afternoon by a large publisher in the city and he holds the same ideas that you do that it is struggle and determination that brings out qualities and characture out of the man. I thought much about you and your life struggle to succeed against many antagonist forces. The chairman took a rather modified view of it. He said he had known many very worthey persons who had struggled fiercly against oppression and force and who had been compelled to go under, the result being a blighted life. His moral was not to much struggle. So again I say don't work to hard. And be especially carefull against infection.

    I am looking forward to getting that picture of my boy. Also to the other book that is shortly to be published. I am proud to see that your ability compells recognition from both Dr. Howland and Halsted etc. etc. I certainly think that despite my former failings in prediction of your appointments to something good that something is in store for you at Hopkins.

    Of course we don't care where you go to. We think you will get the best and while we may sometimes think things are moveing slow for awer advantage if we look arround at others we should at once see the advantage over them, and while in some measure well deserved yet in others they are the results over which we had no control. Therefore I think we are especialy indebted to the Almighty's love and care over us for as a family very few possess the health and comforts we do and evidently to continue. It seems difficult to see finals and say as you say that "everything is best for everybody." Yet it looks so with us as we trace awer history.

    Goodbye and God ever guide and bless us. Then we know we will go right.

    Your affectionate Father

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