V. I.

Lenin

95

To:   HIS MOTHER

Maria Alexandrovna Ulyanova, Cottage No. 3, Town Park, Podolsk, Moscow Gubernia

August 22, 1899

The day before yesterday I received your letter, Mother
dearest, letters from Anyuta and Manyasha, a book from
Anyuta ( Nauchnoye Obozreniye ) and cuttings from
Manyasha. Merci for everything. I was terribly pleased to know
that you are up and about again. What caused the epidemic
of malaria in Podolsk? Is it a swampy place? Do you feel
quite well now? It looks like being a good autumn here,
dry and warm. What is it like where you are?

Letters sent by express train do not seem to come any quicker than those sent by ordinary mail, which surprises
me very much. I received your letter of August 7 on the
20th (and on the same day I also received the newspaper
of the 7th). Is the delay not caused by the express train
taking letters to Krasnoyarsk (at any rate the envelope bears
the stamp “Krasnoyarsk 14.VIII”) and from there a letter goes
back to Achinsk (the post road is from Achinsk to Minusinsk)?
Either this train does not stop at Achinsk or the mail is not
taken off it there. That must be the reason, because letters
go quickly from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk (from 7th to 14th)
but the gain is lost on the way back from Krasnoyarsk to
Achinsk.

As far as the transfer is concerned, we only talked about
it but did not submit any applications. We do not think it
worth while applying—we will wait until January 29, 1900.

Life here goes on as usual. The weather is fine and Nadya
and I go walking a lot. We are all in good health.

I embrace you, Mother dearest, and hope you will keep well.

Yours,

V. U.