To ED
From Thomas Niles

August 19, 1885

Dear Miss Dickinson

I have yours asking about Mrs Jackson. A year since, she broke her leg & in the autumn she managed to get down to Los Angeles where she passed the winter leaving there in Mch for home but got no farther than San Francisco where she was taken down with what she called Malarial fever. Judging by her continued letters the doctors did not know what her real trouble was. Most likely they did however, but kept it from her. We only know here what has been telegraphed that she died of Cancer in the stomach.

In her last letter to me, recd since the news of her death, she says she "has but a few days to live and shall be thankful to be released" and she closes thus:

"I shall look in on your new rooms some day, be sure - but you won't see me - Good bye - Affy. forever, H.J."

And by this you will know that she thinks it is the "beginning."

I will send you a photograph of her in a day or two.

Yrs truly

T. Niles