I never know where to stop when I begin to talk about the death of a little one; but before I stop I want to ask you to tell Mrs. H. one word from me, which will not surprise and will perhaps comfort her.  It is this.  Neither his father nor myself would be willing to have God now bereave us of the rich experience of seven years ago, when our noble little boy was taken away.  We have often said this to each other, and oftener said it to Him, who if He took, also gave much.  But after all, we can not say much to comfort either Mrs. H. or you.  We can only truly, heartily and always sympathise with you....  Mr. Prentiss and Mr. Stearns have spent a fortnight in jaunting about; beginning at Thun and ending at Munich.  They both came home looking fresher and better than when they left, but Mr. P. is not at all well now, and will have his ups and downs, I suppose, for a long time to come....  We can step out at any moment into a beautiful path, and, turn which way we will, meet something charming.  Yesterday he came back for me, having found a new walk, and we took our sticks, and went to enjoy it together till we got, as it were, fairly locked in by the mountains, and could go no further.  Only to think of having such things as gorges and water-falls and roaring brooks, right at your back door!  The seclusion of this whole region is, however, its great charm to us, and to tell the truth, the primitive simplicity of style of dress, etc., is quite as charming to me as its natural beauty.  We took tea one night last week with the pastor of the Free church; he lives in a house for which he pays thirty dollars a year, and we were quite touched and pleased with his style of living; white pine walls and floors, unpainted, and everything else to match.  We took our tea at a pine table, and the drawing-room to which we retired from it, was a corner of the same room, where was a little mite of a sofa and a few books, and a cheerful lamp burning.

All this time I have not answered your question about the Fourth of July.  We had great doings, I assure you.  Mr. P. made a speech, and ran up and down the saloon like a war horse.  He was so excited and pale that I did not enjoy it much, thinking any instant he would faint and fall.  Mr. Cleaveland was the orator of the day and acquitted himself very well, they all said.  I was in my berth at the time of its delivery, saving myself for the dinner and toasts, and so did not hear it.  The whole affair is to be printed.  There was a great cry of “Prentiss!  Prentiss!” after the “Captain’s dinner,” and at last the poor man had to respond in a short speech to a toast to the ladies.  I suppose you know that he considers all women as angels.  Mr. Stearns left us on Thursday to set his face homewards.

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II.

Montreux.  The Swiss Autumn.  Castle of Chillon.  Death and Sorrow of Friends at Home.  Twilight Talks.  Spring Flowers.