Page:Life of Octavia Hill as told in her letters.djvu/241

 v RELATIONS WITH RUSKIN 219 possible chance of finding a purchaseable fragment of earth and ripple of stream anywhere ? Sometimes I feel horror at calling this, or any place like it among these accursed suburbs, " home " for ever. My mother was saying just before your letter came, " I wish you would ask Miss Hill if she has time to come out and sit with me for an hour and talk to me." So I said I thought you would when you came back. It will be nice for I'm not well and I'm going away for a few weeks, to try if I can get just one more glance at Venice and Verona before I am utterly old ; but I haven't yet left my mother for any time since my father's death, and I shall be grateful to you if you can come to see her sometimes. That is very lovely about your friend ; it rejoices me to hear of your being so happy and having this utter peace, after your utter toil. But it is too soon over. Ever affectionately yours, J. RUSKIN. The Crag, Maenporth, Falmouth, April 15th, 1865. To MRS. SHAEN. The money part is very regular and simple, just so much paid into Ruskin's bank each quarter ; but to me the work is of engrossing interest. We have three houses, each with six rooms ; and we have managed gradually to get the people to take two rooms, in many cases. . . . When it was well started, we looked round for some opportunity to complete the original plan, by getting a playground, which we had failed to do with any available houses. I was so very happy at finding a bit of freehold ground, covered with old stables, to