亲爱的豪厄尔斯 - .....这里有一个秘密。一个最可悲的好奇和浪漫，刚刚显露出来。读这些东西，但没有提到他们。去年秋天，我的老母亲 - 然后82 - 参加了一个概念，在爱荷华州一个小镇的密西西比河谷老移民公约。我哥哥的妻子吃了一惊，并代表她的艰辛和旅途疲劳等，并说我的母亲有可能会无法生存的他们，并表示有可能是没有可能的利益，因为她在这样一个会议，这样一群人。但是我的母亲坚持，并坚持，最终获得了她的观点。他们开始，一切就像我母亲年轻时与兴奋，兴趣，渴望，期待再次。他们到达那个镇和酒店。我的母亲大步与在她眼里，她一步的渴望，对柜台，并说：
    “是贝瑞特博士圣路易斯，在这里？”
    “没有他在这里，但他回到圣路易斯今天早上。”
    “他会不会再来？”
    “号”
    我母亲转过脸去，所有的火已经从她，说：“让我们回家。”
    他们径直回到基奥卡克。我的母亲坐在沉默了好几天的思考 - 一项从未发生过的事情。后来有一天，她说：
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    MY DEAR HOWELLS,-- ..... Here's a secret. A most curious and pathetic romance, which has just come to light. Read these things, but don't mention them. Last fall, my old mother--then 82--took a notion to attend a convention of old settlers of the Mississippi Valley in an Iowa town. My brother's wife was astonished; and represented to her the hardships and fatigues of such a trip, and said my mother might possibly not even survive them; and said there could be no possible interest for her in such a meeting and such a crowd. But my mother insisted, and persisted; and finally gained her point. They started; and all the way my mother was young again with excitement, interest, eagerness, anticipation. They reached the town and the hotel. My mother strode with the same eagerness in her eye and her step, to the counter, and said:
    "Is Dr. Barrett of St. Louis, here?"
    "No. He was here, but he returned to St. Louis this morning."
    "Will he come again?"
    "No."
    My mother turned away, the fire all gone from her, and said, " Let us go home."
    They went straight back to Keokuk. My mother sat silent and thinking for many days--a thing which had never happened before. Then one day she said: