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Elisina Tyler to Mildred Barnes Bliss, May 3, 1914

Paris.

May 3rd 1914Sunday.

Dearest Mildred,

Eric Maclagan is staying with us till Wednesday evening, and he would be very glad to see you and Robert if possible. All Tuesday he is engaged on Museum business. If you have a moment, will you let us know? I think I shall have to go to England this week to see lawyers, and I may take the good opportunity of travelling under Eric’s escort. So I too would be glad to bid you farewell, though my absence won’t be a long one.

I am so sad and heavy-hearted because my old gardener at CaerleonCaerleon Cottage, the country home of Elisina Tyler in western Cornwall at Ruan Minor, a small village on the Lizard peninsula. See letter of June 10, 1910. See also letter of April 21, 1914, in which Elisina mentions the "quarterly pittance to my old gardener." is dying. He was one of the very best of Nature’s gentlemen, a candid, upright, honourable soul. There is no hope for him and he is suffering dreadfully. I think of that little square dark stone gray church and the people who sleep round it, alone with God. It seems so dreadful that poverty and pain should accompany them to the gate. He has sent me a message to say that when the Lord is pleased to take him he is fully prepared to go home to his Saviour, and he is ready now for the call. Only he grieves not to see me again on earth. It is all so terribly perplexing, and it seems so strange to me that I who feel the cruelty of life so acutely should have been a source of strength and reliance to those poor dear simple folk down there.

Bless you, dear Mildred. I hope you are not too tired and too far from me.

Ever yours

Elisina.

 
Associated People: Eric Maclagan
Associated Places: Paris (France)