My dear Alice
I was completely bewildered by your letter because I had hoped from your telegram that all was right between us. I am sure you know what a pleasure your visit was to me last summer and that you were my guest. I only said that it was mostly Mary's house in argument that I could not guess that you would resent my [page 2] suggesting her house in Chicago. I was having <for ten days> a curiously bad headache which is now better. I have been sleeping at Mary Smith's, and staying in bed an hour later each morning on the doctor's orders. Dr Hirsch has sent me to an oculist and is going through the [round] of urine analysis before he gives a verdict, but I am already better than for ten days.
Ethel left on Thursday [page 3] morning, and telegraphed me from Buffalo that she was all right.
Dear Alice, let us be gentle in our [judgment] of each other, and try next time you come to get back into a better relation again. I am sure we can if we try. We were probably both nervous and certainly you are ill and I wouldn't hurt you for the world. [page 4] Mrs Bowen is still in bed but the wound is better. The chaise lounge was from the Cedarville people you know, why don't you try it on the chance and give it away if you don't like it.
Of course I am returning your check, I am sure you can't mean that I have counted the cost of my guest -- certainly not when she was my beloved sister.
Always devotedly yours
Jane Addams
Dec 4" 1914
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