Your mother, who
has long been ailing, is, I believe, near her end; she is unable to
keep anything on her stomach, and Dr. Martin holds out but little
hopes of her recovery. She has expressed a wish to see you, and says
she knows you will not refuse to come to her, which, considering her
condition, I am unwilling to suppose you will.
"I remit you a Post Office order for your fare, and will pay your
return journey.
"If you want clothes to come in, order what you consider suitable,
and desire that the bill be sent to me; I will pay it immediately,
to an amount not exceeding eight or nine pounds, and if you will let
me know what train you will come by, I will send the carriage to
meet you. Believe me, Your affectionate father,
"T. PONTIFEX."
Of course there could be no hesitation on Ernest's part. He could
afford to smile now at his father's offering to pay for his clothes,
and his sending him a Post Office order for the exact price of a
second-class ticket, and he was of course shocked at learning the
state his mother was said to be in, and touched at her desire to see
him. He telegraphed that he would come down at once.
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