Mary Lee to Mr Dawes, 8 January 1896

Barnard St North Adel/de
Jny 8th/96

Dear Mr Dawes,

You see I am assuming on the strength of your most gracious and most welcome encouraging letter, that you will be pleased to hear from me again & to learn that your precious ones are well & cheerful & happy, although as I said in my former letter the happiness of one at least must be some what alloyed by the temporary separation - I am hoping the best from the excellent health and spirits of our "Dove". May God bless and strengthen her for the coming time. I know you will say a fervent amen to this prayer. Be sure I would not steal a single thought of our wee Sue from her father but from her apparent indisposition as indicated at present, I think she will have "lots" of love for both of us; as she has a most affectionately and docile disposition & her dear mama, while always gentle, is very discreet & watchful & does not spoil her. Our dear Miss Dawes seems to find her best happiness in living for and doing for other people, pity the world has not more women of her spirit.

Your views about women made me think you are a convert to my favourite author Emmerson (sic). Have you been reading his book "Sesame & Lillies" It is a lovely book - he says to us women "There is not a war in the world, no nor an injustice, but you women are answerable for it, not in that you have provoked, but in that you have not hindered. Men, by their nature are prime to fight, they will fight for any cause or for none. It is for you to choose their cause for them & to forbid them when there is no cause. There is no suffering, no injustice, no misery in the earth but the guilt of it lies with you. . . .Men are feeble in sympathy & contracted in hope, it is you only who can feel the depths of pain & conceive the way of its healing."

I have given you this long excerpt because I feel you will be in perfect sympathy with it. By the way you speak of yourself as "a bushman" my hearty reply is I wish the world were the

(letter incomplete)