From Leonard Darwin to Emma Darwin 20 May [1875]

Dear Mother

I have just been doing the pleasant job of taking my passage home in the Abyssinia (Cunard) leaving New York on June 9^th., so that you will hardly have time to answer this letter. I am having a most pleasant time here; thanks to the Nortons. I have been driving there every night almost since I have been here. They all pretended they should have recognised me, which I am rather surprised at, as I did not see them very often at home, and a beard makes such change. I got a whole bundle of old letters from Washington. I was sorry to hear that you were kept waiting for some of my letters.; I suppose it was on account of the two mails— I ought to have written by both always as it was impossible to tell which would get in first. I only saw Miss Sedgwick one night as she has just gone off to New York, and Alex. Agassiz is away also. He seems to be making a wonderful fortune, both for him self and for his friends by a copper mine. His part of the profit being at present about £120.00 but that looks so big that I think I must have made a mistake. Chauncey Wright is living here also, and seems to be great friends with the Nortons, he is rather shy and difficult to get on with  Four days I thought would have been enough for Boston but I shall only just be able to make my escape after eight. Goodbye Mother

Your affec son | Leonard Darwin