1 February, 1887

Dear Cole,

I have alternated worry, anger and laughter while reading your letter. Well done. I do miss all the talking from St. James; I certainly took it for granted. Thank you for your letter. I picked it up today from the Stockton’s acquaintance that I mentioned before. Please note my new address in the postmark now. They were kind to allow me to stay with them upon first arriving, but I feel that I need to make my own way. Much of this leave-taking was to start fresh, and so though I am sure I will see them again upon occasion, I do not plan to seek them out.

And thank you again for your company to Memphis. I suspect it did us both good. You will never believe what you missed upon leaving, though — snakes! Has news traveled? Have you heard about the Memphis phenomenon that took place just after you left? There was a hard rain, and when it was over, snakes! They writhed across a few blocks, and it was bedlam for some time before they dispersed. The incident was near the boardinghouse I had just signed on with, as we discussed, and so I was in the thick of it. It is a mystery. I wondered if there was anything magic about it, but I felt nothing.

The bright side, besides being thrust into a mystery right away, is that I was able to take some photographs and sell them to a small local paper, who is proposing that I try my hand at some outdoor life here on the street: vendors, street musicians and the like. I am excited. In the meantime, until that picks up, I have been doing outdoor portraits of well-to-do passerby. It is enough for now. I have enclosed a clipping of the snakes. Please do show Shawn as well!

I am glad to hear that your training is going well, and more glad that you and Shawn are together.

I will admit, I fear the effect of a practical joke on Miss Franklin, but I wish you the best, and hope that she is of a mind to appreciate it! I will eagerly await the next installment of the story. I miss the Tower at moments like this!

Wishing you well. Keep yourself safe. And please do be in touch when you can.
Jeanne


NeedsBill
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