Page:A Life of Matthew Fontaine Maury.pdf/208

194 to pay their respects and make their adieus to the "philosopher and man of science, who had given up all, everything he had save honour, at the call of his native State in her trouble."

On the breaking out of the war, when Maury moved all his family away from Washington, his affectionate kinsman, John Minor, offered his home in Fredericksburg as an asylum to the refugees. Maury responded to this invitation gratefully as follows:—

Bless your heart for offering us shelter in these times I There is no telling when we shall all be together again. I have written to my wife to accept your kind offer, until we can find out where we are to go. . ..

When your letter reached me, I was just leaving Washington. I left my beautiful home there with a heart full and eyes overflowing on the 20th.

My little money "pesters me" mightily. Pray help me, my friend, to put money-matters in a better train. . . . But consider your discretion ample to do the best you can, and to act as you do for yourself were you going to make such a transfer; only don't go beyond the means in your hands, for I cannot meet pressing necessities here. Will you not let me make over to you out and out my St. Paul