1 854] "A LUCKY FELLOW" 93
and don't let her dwell too much upon her sorrows.... — Your affectionate son,
Fredk. Stephenson.
To his Brother
My dear William, — Your hearty congratulations and all the affectionate expressions in your most welcome letter are more than I can properly acknowledge. Believe me that they have given me the most sincere pleasure, and I am really more delighted at seeing how much pleasure my success has caused to you all at home than at the immediate benefit coming to myself. I am indeed a lucky fellow, and my path through life has been strewn with more roses than fall on those of most other men. The few anxious moments I have had in looking forward to my prospects, when I used to come and consult you, are now so many pleasant recollections, and all those little plans I used to suggest to you I now look back to with the same amount of pleasure one would feel in having at length succeeded in knocking down a troublesome fellow who had been following you all your life. The satisfaction of slipping from an uncertain and insufficient income to a handsome competency and such an enviable position it requires experience alone to appreciate. Thank JuHa over and over again for the affectionate interest she has invariably shown in me. I pictured to myself the little toast-drinking party in Bolton Row, who, I am sure, responded to the sentiment of the evening wdth all the affection their little hearts are capable of.... — Ever your affectionate brother,
Fredk. Stephenson. Camp Aladyn, July 17, 1854.
To Lady Stephenson
Camp Gevorcklin, August 13, 1854.
My dear Mother, — You have probably heard by this time of the sickness we have had in camp. The
cholera has certainly been very bad, and has visited some regiments pretty severely; the Light Division has, I should think, lost upwards of 80 men, and our own has suffered to about the same extent. The Coldstream lost 9 men in two days; our battalion has as yet been the least severely hit of any in our Brigade, for although our list of sick is very high, ranging from 130 to 150, we have had comparatively few deaths, certainlj'' under 20. The epidemic began about three weeks ago, and I think we have seen the worst of it; it has, however, left the army in a terribly weak state. The men cannot eat their meat, but bury it in large quantities, and can get little else to replace it; then a heavy sickness like this is not the most lively thing in the world in camp, and the constant sight of funerals, men being carried to hospitals, and the general debility of the men, the great majority of whom have more or less suffered, has tended to depress them a little. I think, however, we are now improving, and a movement of some kind or other would soon set us all right again. As for myself, I have hitherto escaped and am in better health than ever. I think that with due care you may safely keep clear of illness. Tell Isabella I have to thank her mainly for this; she made two flannel belts for me at Malta which I have been constantly wearing for the last month, and this, together with another, such as the Turks themselves wear round the loins and stomach, have kept me safe and sound. Great preparations have been going on for some time past for an expedition to the Crimea with intention of attacking Sebastopol. I wish with all my heart it would take place, it would cure the men directly, and put an end to the monotonous idle life we are leading now; but I am afraid it is very doubtful if we shall go there, or even fire a shot, for there are strong rumours abroad that negotiations are again going on, and if they should turn out to be successful, and peace ensue, it \vill be but a doubtful subject for rejoicing, for the Russians will be sure to be at the old game again two or three years hence. I am sadly afraid we shall go into winter
1854] ST. ARNAUD'S MISTAKE 95