“I write these few lines for to let you now how I am gettin along in this plaice. I have bean hear six weaks to-morrer, which is little Jemmie’s birfday. I ain’t undergond the hoperation as I cum for yet, bekos the doctor says my sistem ain’t reddy fur to stand it yet. My patients is allmost gon, Jack, with waitin in suspends so long. Sumtimes I begin to think as the doctors ain’t acting straight with me. They makes a dredful hurtin examinashun everry morning with more’n a dozzun yung stoodents a-lookin on, which ain’t proper in my opinyun, and they talks a lot of Latin and says it is a verry pretty case. One feller sed it was you-neek or somethin of that sort, and Doctor Stanforth would be back in a fortnit and must see it. As for phizzik I swer I ain’t had a drop of anythink but pepermint water sins in this plaice I’ve bin; but I’ve bin pulld about shameful, as ain’t fit for no respectful marrid woman, for what objek I can’t for the life on me see. Now, Jack, do mind and keep Lizzie at her scholin, and don’t let Billy and Polly run wild in the streets. I don’t like meself at all in this plaice, and ef the tumour aint sune tuk out I shall bunk it, so I tell yer strayt. I wish you’d ask Dr. Phelps what thear littel gaim is hear. I beleaf I am only kep as a speciment, bekos my cais is curous; anyhow, I ain’t a-bein dun no good to, and they’ll find I’m sloped afore long. 2 on em in saim ward as me bunked it last week. “Your lovin wife, “MATILDA STUBBINS.” “Now, Mum,” said the man, “what I wanted to ask you was this. Mrs. Foster, our relieving officer’s wife, I have heerd tell had a tumour in her inside, asking your pardon for speaking like that afore a lady; but you don’t mind me, I hopes, and she went to a ladies’ ’orspital in the West End, and they was a-going to take her pretty nigh all to bits, as the sayin’ is, tellin’ her she’d be a dead woman in no time if it warn’t done; and while the poor thing was a-prayin’ and a-screwin’ of her courage up for to have it done, a lady told her how she had bin cured of the same thing by drinkin’ of gallons and gallons of still water, think they called it.” “Distilled water,” said the Sister. “Maybe your right, lady; anyways, she drunk pretty nigh a hogshead of it, besides wearing a tin bottle full of it hot round her innards, savin’ your presence, and she got well in three months and the tumour went right away. I have heerd Mr. Foster say so hisself. Now I wants to ask you if so be as you thinks as my poor Tilly could be cured with these ’ere waters like that?”