Page:The Life of William Morris.djvu/723

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CHAPTER XXI

LAST YEARS: THE KELMSCOTT CHAUCER

1894-1896

For about a year from the date of this remarkable letter Morris's life was so quietly busy from day to day that it has left almost no noticeable records. At the end of 1893 he had written to his mother the last letter of the long series which begins when he was an undergraduate at Oxford.

"Kelmscott House,
"Dec. 23rd, 1893.

"My dearest Mother,

"If I do not write now I shall not be in time for Christmas Day, so please consider this as Christmas Eve. I asked Henny to get you some pocket-handkerchiefs when she was in town. I hope you found them nice. The weather here is very fine this morning; I hope the sun is shining in on your room as it is on mine, as I suppose it is, for I think they both look nearly south. Jenny (the younger) is sitting with me reading a paper, and we are both enjoying the fine day.

"I got a letter from Henny yesterday inclosing a nice neck-kerchief for me; that will be good for me to

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