View source for Millet to Stoddard: December 2, 1875

Letter 14: [[Letters of Frank Millet to Charles Warren Stoddard: May 10, 1875 - January 3, 1900]]
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E. Bridgewater Dec 2nd [1875]

My dear Chummeke: --


A sigh from Capri reached me a few days ago and made more intense, if 
possible, my desire to be on the same continent with you.  Since my last brief 
note great changes have taken place.  I have been at work decorating the interior 
of a new church here which is more like an old Romanesque Catholic church 
than an Episcopal “tabernacle”.  The romantic and picturesque details of this 
enterprise I shall take keen delight in elaborating to you when we meet.  I say 
“when we meet.” Do you understand what that means?  I am all packed up to go 
to Europe and am daily expecting to take passage, only awaiting for three 
reasons.  1st the completion of the church which is to be dedicated on Xmas day; 
2d, a commission from the city of Boston to copy a portrait which must be done 
at the same time;  3d the arrival of our teacher for the new [page 2] drawing 
school.  (He sailed yesterday from Liverpool).  


[Space added to facilitate reading.]


The party is all made up to go and 
the others are waiting for me so there will probably be no reasonable doubt that 
we shall be in Paris by the middle of January. It is uncertain of course if we may 
stay there but our plan is now to take a flat there and keep house.  Come up and 
gaum and work and know some of the most charming people you ever met! We 
changed our plan of going to Milan on account of some letters we received from 
there and are going to by Paris first. Do come up to Paris, chummake! Now if you 
pass a winter in Italy dreaming or go into that hideous monastery I’ll never forgive 
you so help me Moses!  If you don’t come wherever I am you will not show 
yourself either faithful, wise or at all devoted to your interests.  Come and work!  I 
am going to work!  You idiot of Castello!<ref>Castello is an area of Venice where they shared an apartment together for a time.</ref>  Don’t you know you will never write half 
as good as [page 3] you can unless you knuckle down to do it?  You don’t use 
half your powers.  Now I am in real earnest!  Come up, Charlie, do!  Come and 
spoon and gaum and produce something.  We will live again the old Bohemian in 
a different way; we will travel over Spain together, visit Brittany and Normandy 
and live as artists should in Paris. Do come!


Mark Twain came into the church the other day and we had a good talk about 
you and it was his idea that you intended to stay a year or more yet in Europe. 
This is what induces me to urge you to come to Paris and pitch in.  He told me 
about your intention of publishing your travels and of the difficulty of making it go.  
You know you work better when you are with me. You know I must be as 
economical as yourself and that after we united together in Venice we could 
endure any hardship together, so I repeat for the twentieth time: Do come and 
meet me!


I haven’t anything to tell you except this.  I am filled with it and [page 4] running 
over.  The church occupies all my time day and evening and my constant 
attention. Therefore I must not attempt to write you of a hundred things I want to 
talk to you about but continue I hope to meet you in six short weeks in the city of 
Paris.  I shall write once more before we sail giving if possible my Paris address 
and shall expect you to come there.  You will of course send me no more letters 
to America but reserving all to tell me in the long winter evenings when we hug 
once more our own stove and live again the days of our old Venetian existence – 
the little house in Castello.  I haven’t given up the idea of buying that nest yet.  
Mr. Howells sent you his compliments likewise Clemens [Twain] who has asked me to 
come to Hartford and paint his portrait.  I was obliged to decline because I am 
going away.


Yours always with very much love


Frank


If you love me come and meet me!

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=Next: Letter 15: [[Millet to Stoddard: December 8, 1875]]=


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