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#1863: Willa Cather to Elsie Cather, November 5 [1934]

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⬩W⬩S⬩C⬩ Dear Sister1;

Now you must not write me when you are deadly tired. Send me a single sheet of paper from time to time and say on it "I am not displeased, but busy." I will understand.

If you are running a temperature every day, I think you ought to stop teaching and live a quiet life in your own home3. (What can you be afraid of there? To me it seems full of peace and protection, as it was those last years for Father4 and Mother5.) At least you ought to see a doctor and try to find out why you have a temperature.

I am enclosing a prescription for a nerve tonic, which has seen me through many a tight place. I am never without it. It given me by a very celebrated doctor—he's J.P. Morgan's6 doctor, and he found that Edith7 had thyroid when no other doctor co could tell what was wrong with her. Do try this—if you can't take it every three hours, take it before breakfast, before dinner and at bed time. Three times a day will help, though four four is better.

I have sent Molly8 a check for twenty-five dollars for her Thanksgiving. I had a letter from poor little Lizzie9 begging to borrow just ten dollars! I was glad to send it; she was so really sweet to Mother always.

Now try the tonic and have faith in it. Take it in about a small wine glass full of water. It will help you a lot.

With much love, my dear Willie

I return to New York10 in four days from this date.