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of them would be likely to get me in bad； being addressed to pro…Germans； for example。 He said； 〃Well； THIS chap is all right anyway。 I'll vouch for him； because this letter is addressed to me。〃
SEE THE CAT！ HOPE GAVE THE CAT TO HER DAD。 IS THE CAT SAD？ YES IS THE DAD SAD？ VERY！！ WHY IS THE CAT AND THE DAD SAD？ THEY WANT HOME AND HOPE。 DO THEY LOVE HOPE？ DON'T MAKE THEM LAUGH！
We leave； the Basses； the English officer and I； in a small tub of a boat for Patras； and train to Athens。 I will try to go at once to Servia。 Harjes； who are the Paris house of J。 P。 Morgan； gave me a 〃mission〃 to try and organize for the Servians the same form of relief as has been arranged for the Belgians。 He gave me permission if I saw the need for help was imminent （and it will be） to cable him for whatever I thought the Serbs most needed。 So； it is a chance to do much。 To get out news will be impossible。 However； here I am and tomorrow I'll be good and seasick。
I have your charm around my neck； and all the pictures； and the luck…bringing cat； and the scapular； and the love you give me to keep me well and bring us soon together。 That is the one thing I want。 God bless you both； Hope's dad and your husband。
ATHENS；
November 26th。 DEAR HEART：
I am off tonight for Salonica。 I am not very cheerful for I miss you very； very terribly； and the further I go； the worse I feel。 But now I am nearly as far as I can get； and when you receive this I willthank Godbe turned back to Paris； and London； and HOME！ I thought so often of you this morning when I took a holiday and climbed the Acropolis。 On the top of it I picked a dandelion for you。 It was growing between the blocks of marble that have been there since 400 years before our Lord： before St。 Paul preached to the Athenians。 I was all alone on the rock； and could see over the AEgean Sea； Corinth； Mount Olympus； where the Gods used to sit； and the Sphinx lay in wait for travelers with her famous riddle。 It takes two days and one night to go to Salonica； and the boats are so awful no one undresses but sleeps in his clothes on top of the bed。
Goodby； sweetheart； and give SUCH a kiss to my precious daughter。 How beautiful she is。 Even the waiter who brought me a card stopped to exclaim about her picture。 So； of course； being not at all proud I showed him her in my arms。 I want you both so and I love you both SO。 And； I wanted you so this morning as I always do when there is a beautiful landscape； or flowers； or palms。 I know how you love them。 The dandelion is very modest and I hope the censor won't lose it out； for she has a long way to go and carries a burden of love。 I wish I was bringing them in the door of the Scribner cottage at this very minute。
RICHARD。
VOLO； November 27。
I got here today； after the darnedest voyage of two days in a small steamer。 We ran through a snow storm and there was no way to warm the boat。 So； I DIED。 You know how cold affects mewellthis was the coldest cold I ever died of。 I poured alcohol in me； and it was like drinking iced tea。 Now； I am on shore in a cafe near a stove。 We continue on to Salonica at midnight。 There are 24 men and one woman； Mrs。 Bass； on board。 I am much too homesick to write more than to say I love you； and I miss you and Hope so； that I don't look at the photos。 Did you get the cable I sent Thanksgivingfrom Athens； it read： 〃Am giving thanks for Hope and you。〃 I hope the censor let that get by him。 The boat I was on was a refrigerator ship； it was also peculiar in that the captain dealt baccarat all day with the passengers。 It was a sort of floating gambling house。 This is certainly a strange land。 Snow and roses and oranges； all at once。 I must stop。 I'm froze。 Give the kiss I want to give to Her； and know； oh！ how I love and love and love her motherNEVER SO MUCH AS NOW。
SALONICA November 30th； 1915。 DEAR OLD MAN：
I got here to night and found it the most picturesque spot I ever visited。 I am glad I came。 It was impossible to get a room but I found John McCutcheon and two other men occupying a grand suite and they have had a cot put in for me。 To…morrow I hope to get a room。 The place is filled with every nation except Germans and even they are here out of uniforms。 We had a strange time coming。 The trip from Athens should have taken two nights and a day but we took four。 The Captain of the boat anchored and played baccarat whenever he thought there were enough passengers not seasick to make it worth his while。 He played from eleven in the morning until four in the morning。 I don't know now who ran the ship。 It is so cold when you bathe； the steam runs off you。 I never have suffered so。 But； it looked as though every one else was singing 〃Its going to be a hard； hard winter〃 from the way they； dress。 Tomorrow I am going to buy fur pants。 You can't believe what a picture it is。 Servians； French； Greeks； Scots in kilts； London motor cars； Turks； wounded and bandaged Tommies and millions of them fighting for food； for drink； for a place at the 〃movies；〃 and more 〃rumors〃 than there are words in the directory。 To…morrow； I present my letters and hope to get to the 〃front。〃 I only hope the front doesn't come to us。 But； it ought to be a place for great stories。 All love to you old man； and bless you both。 How I look forward to our first lunch in your wonderful home！ And to sit in front of your fire； and hear all the news。 All love to you both。
RICHARD。
December 6； 1915。 DEAREST ONE：
I have been away so could not write。 They took us to the French and English 〃front〃 and away from Greece； we were in Bulgaria and Servia。 It was at a place where the three boundaries met。 We saw remarkable mountain ranges and deep snow； and some fine artillery。 But throwing shells into that bleak； white jumble of snow and rocksthere was fifty miles of itwas like throwing a baseball at the Rocky Mountains。 Still； it was seeing something。 Now； I have a room； and a very wonderful one。 I had to bribe everyone in the hotel to get it； and I have something to write and； no more moving about I hope； for at least a week。 I am able to see the ships at anchor for miles； and the landing stage for all the warships is just under my window。 As near as McCoy Rock from the terrace。 It is like a moving picture all the time。 I bought myself an oil stove and a can of Standard oil； and； instead of trying to warm the hotel with my body； I let George do it。 But it is a very small stove； and to really get the good of it； I have to sit with it between my legs。 Still； it is such a relief to be alone； and not to pack all the time。 McCutcheon and Bass； Hare and Shepherd are fine； but I felt like the devil； imposing on them； and working four in a room is no joke。 We dine together each night。 Except them； I see no one； but have been writing。 Also； I have been collecting facts about Servian relief。 Harjes； Morgan's representative in Paris； gave me carte blanche to call on him for money or supplies； but I waited until today to cable； so as to be sure where help was most needed。 It is still cold； but that AWFUL cold spell was quite unprecedented and is not likely to come again。 I NEVER suffered so from cold； and； as you know； I suffer considerable。 All the English officers who had hunted in cold places； said neither had they ever felt such cold。 Seven hundred Tommies were frost bitten and toes and fingers fell off。 I do not say anything about how awful it is not to hear。 But； if I had had your letters forwarded to this dump of the Levant； I never would have got them。 Now； I have to wait for them until I get to Paris； but there I will surely get them。 Cables； of course； can reach me； but no cables mean to me that you are all right。 Nor do I want to 〃talk〃 about Christmas。
You know how I feel about that； and about missing the first one SHE has had。 But it will be the LAST one we will know apart。 Never again！
I want you in my arms and to hear you laugh and see your eyes。 I am in need of you to make a fuss over me。 McCutcheon and Co。 don't care whether I have cold hands or not。 You do。 Your ointment and gloves saved my fingers from falling off like the soldiers' d