[35A School St., Andover, Mass.]
Thistravels, trips and plansTSE's 1950 visit to America;h2and TSE's possible Chicago post;a1 is a last letter before sailing on Saturday. I was glad to get your letter of the 13th. I was naturally rather worried by your news from Shannon, not so much for fear of disaster – as it was evidence of Pan-American cautiousness – but thinking of the extra fatigue which the delay must have caused. And you had a second delay at Gander. It is good to know that people thought you looked better for your vacation, and I hope that Mrs. Chipman cossetted you, for you must have arrived at the end of your strength.
IPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle);i4 was also glad to have your news of your family. I hope that Uncle John will be up to seeing me, and will be able to recognise me, week after next.1
I have naturally been very busy during these last weeks, with all the matters to be put in order before leaving. I dread moving about more and more, but it will be a relief to board the ship. At this stage, one is harassed by both the problems one is leaving behind and the others that one is facing: once on the boat, there are only the latter.
I expect to arrive in Cambridge on Monday the 2nd, and will ring up from the Faculty Club. WouldEliot, Theresa Garrett (TSE's sister-in-law);f3 you please send me a line to await me there (or c/o Theresa) giving me your telephone number again?
1.TSEPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle)his final illness;i5n to the Revd William G. Eliot (Portland, Oregon), 16 Oct. 1950: ‘I found that Dr Perkins was too ill to be able to see me when I passed through Boston. It is perhaps just possible that he may recover a little so that I may have a glimpse of him on my return; but I have really no hope of this, and I fear that the rest of his illness may be a matter of weeks. I am terribly sorry for Mrs Perkins also. For Dr Perkins, himself, I have always had a very warm affection and respect, and his illness has been a great grief.’
3.DrPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle) John Carroll Perkins (1862–1950), Minister of King’s Chapel, Boston: see Biographical Register.