When Mother General was here on August 13, 1911, I told her that I might ask an investigation. She said it was alright, that I could do so if I wanted to. I supposed that this included my permission to come and see you when I decided to do so--if I needed permission from the lesser authority to speak to the higher. I had told Mother Nazareth that I wanted to go to Portland to see my higher superior on a matter of conscience. August 26th, last Saturday, I asked her for her pass or transportation to Portland. She said her pass was in Portland and that she would send for it and that it would be here by Wednesday. Instead of that she communicated with our Mother General, this morning she told me so, and that neither Mother General nor she could give me permission or money to go to Portland. I was frank with Mother Nazareth when she spoke of money; I said I could wait a few days for the pass. I cannot understand why this deception. I do not feel good over it, after telling her that I had Mother General's consent for what I was to do. Our people are afraid to make one move without Canada. I do not suppose from this transaction that Mother Nazareth gave Mother General an agreeable account of me since I am here. [Illustration: _Most Reverend Alexander Christie, D.D., Archbishop of Portland, Oregon._] I am having a much begrudged vacation. I am not any profit to the community just now, having been sick and unable to work for a few weeks. How could I be otherwise, or anyone else with a grain of sense or feeling, I cannot do things slipshod or by halves. Outside of my trip East, I cannot recollect of ever having had more than perhaps a couple of days cessation from hard work in all my thirty years of community life--without speaking of vacation, which I never dared to ask for, feeling sure of punishment of some sort to follow if I did. Mother Nazareth quoted Mother General as saying to me, "There was work here if I wanted to do it," and she added, "What was good enough for the sisters here was good enough for me." I told her "Yes, what was good enough for the sisters here was good enough for me, and it was not beneath me at all to do what the sisters here did, but it was out of the question and I do not wish to discuss it, as it is useless."