NOTEBOOK
Russian Passport yet? If not won't you please?"  (Am
mailing it to him now).
Sept. 20. Letter yesterday from Mr. Appleton. We can
have Riverdale House till April, at $250 a month, and from
Munsey at same rate to June i—and maybe a month
longer, Munsey thinks.
Monday Sept. 22. Our dear prisoner is where she is
through overwork—day and night devoted to the children
and me.
Wednesday 24. Dr. Allen came yesterday and raised
our spirits. A marked change followed. Dr. Putnam this
morning said no sort of reason she should not become as
well as before. He ordered nurse and she came. Recovery
begun. Very briskly.
During nearly two years their hopes would rise
and fall, almost daily.
We are a drifting ship without a captain. We survive
by accident.
Thursday, 25th. Lunch. Mrs. Mercer's, to meet Mrs.
Bell and a Mrs. Pratt. I could not make the arrangement
positive (later I went).
Helmer (osteopath) came from Vermont. Gave Livy a
severe treatment—left her sore and lame, and she slept
but little, the night. She is weak and frail but she has
been that for 45 days.
Again banished from the house, last night. By the new
nurse. She allows no one in the sickroom, day and night,
but herself. If we had had her in the beginning Livy
would be well now.
(Added note, three weeks later: Too sudden a verdict.
The above nurse turned out to be mechanically competent
(rule of thumb), but vain, silly, self-important, untrust-
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