WCP28

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

January 6^th. 1899

My dear Will

Your letter of Dec[ember].16^th received yesterday told us that you were still doing nothing but preparing for winter etc. etc. It seems then that you will get us skeletons & nothing to eat even! Would it not be better to go south towards or to New Mexico where you would have a mild winter & get animals all the time? It seems a dreadful waste of time to stay there (where you are) all the winter merely to live cheap! Is it too late now? Better retreat than be snowed up 2..3 months for a bare living! The news about Mac is good, if as I suppose, he would not mind staying in America permanently; but I hope you will not fix yourself in any position as mere journeyman, which is all that seems likely in America. Of course if you take a job at good wages merely to get money to go on, that is another thing. You have never yet explained exactly what the machine is that Mac has at last finished. Some kind of [2] automatic coal-measurer for steam-engines I think you said it was. Can you not send me a full description now that you have plenty of time, with sketches.

I believe the Electric Train from Bournemouth to Poole is going on, but I am not sure whether they have obtained an Act of Par[liament]. yet. They wanted to bring it right through Parkstone, to which we have objected. No electric light in Parkston yet, so no chance of lighting Corfe View or heating the Orchid House. Your climate result from the air being so clear at your altitude 7000 - 8000 ft. and your Latitude that of the south of Italy.

We have been and are still in a great mess in the garden. The drains are connected now, but during the process a lot of earth fell in (it was soaking weather) carrying down the old stump a trunk & arch near lower greenhouse and a good deal of the beds close to the greenhouse. The stuff out of this & the new manhole (3 x 2 inside) forms great heaps on the grass and we cannot remove It till the cesspool is cleaned out. Wareham [3]¹ has pumped out all of the liquid, but there is about four feet deep of thick slush which will not pump, and I have written to the Borough Engineer to sent their nightmen to empty it 3 days ago, but they have not come yet & no answer. I suppose they come to each in turn, & then we go can get rid of all the surplus sand & earth filling it. As to a glass covered lawn or garden it would be useless, or worse, without a constant gardener. Every year we have a 3 to 6 months drought, and under glass daily soakings would be wanted or everything would die. As it is we cannot keep the garden watered, & my orchid-house Ma’s greenhouse takes all our time. Also under glass all kinds of blight & insect pests increase and want constant attention. I have had one of two numbers of the "Corning Nation", — & I have subscribed to the "American Fabian" for a year, just now expired, & and I do not think I shall renew. "The Commonwealth" has also been sent me & I have been asked to subscribe, but I find these American papers not much after the novelty is over, & we get the cream of them in the "Clarion." I have been quite flabbergasted to find that Mc.Ginnis is after all "Numguam !" I often wonderged at the beautiful style of the "Bohemian Girl" [4]² Papers in the Clarion, & now the book is advertised as by Robert Blatchford³! "The Whatnot" & "Begigine" are both very clever and I suppose are real. The first I have seen and spoken to, and Begigine calls himself a Snub-Editor! and I suppose us not Dangle’s double, and McGinnis was Numguam’s. I have now so much to read, with Magazines, papers, pamphlets & books sent me, letters, etc. etc. to write, that I have had no time yet to even think of beginning anything new. In about a year (if the spirits do not want me) I shall have to prepare a really new Ed. of my "Wonderful Century" — and then I shall try at my Autobiography, which I may begin soon. I send you some very commonplace verses Violet⁴ sent at ‘Xmas. She thinks of staying with the Schulz’s 3 months longer and then coming home. You might send to the "Coming Nation" stamps to send me their bulb & plant catalogue. I enclose Violet’s card sent when my letter crossed The views are of one of the manufacturing villages near Passneck. Wishing you better luck this year,

Believe me | Your affectionate Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]