Gertrude Herdle Letter 7-10-1921 London

              London, England
July 10, 1921

My own dear Family,

As much as I love and think of you, it is a real achievement to work in time for a letter for you.  Our days begin early and continue late, and when they have ended I am always so tired that sleep is an absolute necessity.  At present I am five days behind in my chronicling, but there is an unexpected evening ahead, and you are going to have the whole of it.

But first I must try to describe the joy of having four precious letters from home delivered to me at breakfast July seventh.  They were just what they should have been, and I feasted on them through a stolid English breakfast of porridge and bacon and eggs.  It was like having a joyful little session with each one of you.  Mama, I could almost see the chalk-marks on that blue voile, and I realized how much you would be missing me when fitting-time comes round.  I am glad that the rheumatism took an early departure, and know that you meant to the fullest your dear wishes for this wonderful summer.  And Papa, I gasped and gulped with joyful relief at the report of the blood-test.  As things were, it was the best thing to be told, wasn't it?  Can't even Dr. Zimner do something for the pain?  If only the treatment did help you, It is always night before I have time to worry about you, and then I realized that it is not yet night for you, so that there is no occasion for uneasiness.  And to think that your chest is so nearly well!  You were a dear to put everything so brightly, and I promise to make the most of these epochal days and not bother my head about my stupid silly old family.

Isabel, my own dear sister, you get a paragraph for yourself.  Your homesick letter did not fulfill its cruel purpose but it certainly did serve to swell my family pride in you.  To think what association with my brilliant mind and noble example