
Brief must this missive be. You will probably receive it on or about Christmas Day & I send it with my best love & fervent
wishes for a happy time! May it find you free from physical pain & distress & able to enjoy the society
of your dear friends who will come with their loving congratulations & good wishes for your dear welfare.
May all good attend you & yours & may the Best Blessings of God be vouchsafed to you!
I have been thinking much about you during the last few days & have often wondered how things were going on with you. Better on the whole I fondly hope & trust.

There is nothing of much importance here to tell you about at present—things are moving on much in their usual way & most folks seem to be busy with their own concerns—I among the rest with occasional dips into books, which however have to occupy a very subordinate place in my life & I prefer contact with the things themselves, after all, & especially with the people.
I had Wallace here for 3 hours last night.
He is better again
but has not yet got into work—there is a hitch between him &
his employers wh. however will, I think turn out
all right in the end tho I can see that it worries him a little.
Greenhalgh also came in for an hour while he was here.
I haste this to you in the interval between my morning & afternoon round of visits.
Another wind storm here last night.
Good day to you! A Merry Christmas to you! from yours affectionately J JohnstonP.S. Got "Modern Authors" last night & lent it to J.W.W. at once.

