ended the novel that night。
I got a grand lot of letters to…day which Otto； my interpreter brought back from Havana after having conducted Remington there in safety。 I must say you are writing very cheerfully now； but I don't wonder you worried at first but now that I am a commercial traveller with an order from Weyler which does everything when I find it necessary； you really must not worry any more but just let me continue on my uneventful journey and then come home。 I shall have been gone so long and my friends； judging from Russell and Dana and Irene's letters； will be so glad to see me； that they will have forgotten I went out to do other things than coast around in trains。 As a matter of fact this is a terribly big problem and most difficult to get the truth of； I find myself growing to be the opposite of the alarmist； whatever that is； although you would think the picturesque and dramatic and exciting thing would be the one I would rather believe because I want to believe it； but I find that that is not so； I see a great deal on both sides and I do not believe half I am told。 As we used to say at college； 〃it is against history；〃 and it is against history for men to act as I am told they are acting here They show me the pueblo huddled together around the fortified towns； living in palm huts but I know that they have always lived in palm huts； the yellow kid reporters don't know that or consider it； but send off word that the condition of the people is terrible； that they have only leaves to cover them； and it sounds very badly。 That is an instance of what I mean。 In a big way there is no doubt that the process going on here is one of extermination and ruin。 Two years ago the amount of sugar shipped from the port of Matanzas to the U。 S。 was valued at 11 millions a year。 This last year just over shows that sugar to the amount of 800；000 was sent out。 In '94； 154 vessels touched at Matanzas on their way to America。 In '95 there were 80 and in '96 there are 16。 I always imagined that houses were destroyed during a war because they got in the way of cannon balls or they were burned because they might offer shelter to the enemy； but here they are destroyed； with the purpose of making the war horrible and hurrying up the end。 The insurgents began first by destroying the sugar mills； some of which were worth millions of dollars in machinery； and now the Spaniards are burning the homes of the people and herding them in around the towns to starve out the insurgents and to leave them without shelter or places to go for food or to hide the wounded。 So all day long where ever you look you see great heavy columns of smoke rising into this beautiful sky above the magnificent palms the most noble of all palms； almost of all trees It is the most beautiful country I have ever visited。 I had no recollection of how beautiful it was or else I had not the knowledge of other places with which to compare it。 Nothing out of the imagination can approach it in its great waterfalls and mossy rocks and grand plains and forests of white pillars with plumes waving above them。 Only man is vile here and it is cruel to see the walls of the houses with blind eyes； with roofs gone and gardens burned； every church but one that I have seen was a fortress with hammocks swung from the altars and rude barricades thrown up around the doorways If this is war I am of the opinion that it is a senseless wicked institution made for soldiers； lovers and correspondents for different reasons； and for no one else in the world and it is too expensive for the others to keep it going to entertain these few gentlemen I have seen very little of it yet and I probably won't see much more； but I have seen all I want。 Remington had his mind satisfied even soonerbut then he is an alarmist and exaggerates things The men who wear the red badge of courage； I don't feel sorry for； they have their reward in their bloody bandages and the little cross on their tunic but those you meet coming back sick and dying with fever are the ones that make fighting contemptiblepoor little farmers； poor little children with no interest in Cuba or Spain's right to hold it； who have been sent out to die like ants before they have learned to hold a mauser； and who are going back again with the beards that have grown in the field hospitals on their cheeks and their eyes hollow； and too weak to move or speak。 Six of them died while I was in Jaroco； a town as big as Marion and that had been the average for two months； think of that； six people dying in Marion every day through July and August I didn't stay in that town any longer than the train did Well I have been writing editorials here instead of cheering you up but I guess I'm about right and when I see a little more I'll tell it over again to The Journal It is not as exciting reading as deeds of daring by our special correspondent and I haven't changed my name or shaved my eyebrows or done anything the other men have done but I believe I am getting near the truth。 They have shut off provisions going or coming from the towns； they have huddled hundreds of people who do not know what a bath means around these towns； and this is going to happen As soon as the rains begin the yellow fever and smallpox will set in and all vessels leaving Cuban ports will be quarantined and the island will be one great plague spot。 The insurgents who are in the open fields will live and the soldiers will die for their officers know nothing of sanitation or care nothing。 The little Consul has just been here to see me and we have had a long talk and I got back at him。 He told me he had seen the Franco…German war as a correspondent of The Tribune and Iasked him if he had ever met another correspondent of The Tribune at that time a German student named Hans who cabled the story of the battle of Gravellote and who Archibald Forbes says was the first correspondent to use the cable。 The Consul who looks like William D。 Howells wriggled around in his chair and said 〃I guess you mean me but I was not a German student； I was born and raised in Philadelphia and Forbes got my name wrong； it is Hance。〃 So then I got up and shook hands with him in my turn and told him I had always wanted to meet that correspondent and did not expect to do so in Cardenas； on the coast of Cuba。
Thank you all for your letters。 I am glad you liked the Jameson book。 I thought you knew I was a F。 R。 G。 S。 It was George Curzon proposed me and as he is a gold medallist of the Society it was easy getting in。 Lots of love。
DICK。
Richard returned to New York from Cuba in February； 1897； but the following month started for Florence to pay me a long…promised visit。 On his way he stopped for a few days in London and Paris。
ABASSADE DES ETATS…UNIS 59 Rue Galilee； Paris； April 1st； 1897。 DEAR FAMILY：
I got over here to…day after the heaviest weather I ever tackled on this channel。 Stephen Crane came with me。 I gave him a lunchon Wednesday。 Anthony Hope； McCarthy； Harold Frederic and Barrie came。 Sir Evelyn Wood instead of coming was detained at the war office and sent instead a lance Sergeant on horseback with a huge envelope marked 〃On Her Majesty's Service；〃 which was to be delivered into my hands The entire Savoy was upset and it was generally supposed that war had been declared and that I was being ordered to the front The whole hotel hung over us until I had receipted for the package and the soldier had saluted and clanked away。 I gave Crane the letter as a souvenir。 I also saw Seymour Hicks' first night and recognized 15 American songs in it。
The London Times offered me the position of correspondent on the Greek frontier。 Every one in London thought it an enormous compliment and Harold Frederic； Ralph； Ballard Smith and the rest were very envious。 I told them I could not go； but I was glad to have had the compliment paid me。 Barrie has made out a scenario of the 〃Soldiers〃 for dramatic purposes and has asked the Haymarket management to consider it。 So； that I guess that it must be good
So； I also guess I had better finish it I leave for Florence to night。 I am having a fine； fine time and I am so glad you are all well。
Lots of love；
DICK。
Of the many happy days we have spent together； I do not believe there were any much more happy than the three weeks Richard remained with me。 It was his first long visit to Italy and from the day of his arrival he loved the old town and its people who gave him a most friendly welcome。 He had come at a time when Florence was at its best； its narrow quaint streets filled with sunshine and thronged with idling natives and the scurrying tourists that always came with the first days of spring。 The Cascine and the pink…walled roads of the environs were ablaze with wild roses and here； after his rather strenuous experience in Cuba； Richard gave himself up to long days of happy idleness。 Together we took voyages of discovery to many of the little walled and forgotten towns where the tourists seldom set foot。 Once we even wandered so far as Monte Carlo； where my brother tried very hard to break the bank and did not succeed。 But the Richard Harding Davis luck did not fail him completely and I remember I greatly envied him the huge pile of gold and notes that represented his winnings and which we did our very best to spend before we left the land of the Prince of Monaco。 However； having had his first taste of war； Richard felt that he must leave the peace and content of Florence to see how the Greeks； with whom he had much sympathy； were faring with their enemies the Turks。 As it happened； this expedition proved but a short interruption； and in less than a month he was once more back with his new…found friends in Florence。
April 28； 1897
On the Way to Patras on a Steamer。 DEAR FAMILY：
It has been a week since I wrote you last； when I sent you the Inauguration article。 Since then I have been having the best time I ever had any place ALONE。 I have had more fun with a crowd； but never have been so happy by myself。 What I would have been had I taken some other chap with me I cannot imagine。 But the people of this part of Greece have been so kind that I cannot say I have been alone。 I never met with st