Faye writes that Lord Lome and members of his
staff are constantly speaking in great praise of the officers' wives
at Shaw, and have asked if the ladies throughout the Army are as
charming and cultured as those here.
Our young horses are really very handsome now, and their red coats are
shining from good grooming and feeding. They are large, and perfectly
matched in size, color, and gait, as they should be, since they are
half brothers. I am learning to drive now, a single horse, and find it
very interesting - but not one half as delightful as riding - I miss a
saddle horse dreadfully. Now and then I ride George - my own horse - but
he always reminds me that his proper place is in the harness, by
making his gait just as rough as possible.
FORT SHAW, MONTANA TERRITORY,
December, 1881.
YOU will be greatly surprised to hear that Faye has gone to
Washington! His father is very ill - so dangerously so that a
thirty-days' leave was telegraphed Faye from Department Headquarters,
without his having applied for it so as to enable him to get to
Admiral Rae without delay. Some one in Washington must have asked for
the leave. It takes so long for letters to reach us from the East that
one never knows what may be taking place there.
