There was never a kinder heart than Jean's. From her childhood up she always spent the most of her allowance on charities of one kind and another. After she became secretary and had her income doubled she spent her money upon these things with a free hand. Mine too, I am glad and grateful to say.
She was a loyal friend to all animals, and she loved them all, birds, beasts, and everything - even snakes - an inheritance from me. She knew all the birds: she was high up in that lore. She became a member of various humane societies when she was still a little girl - both here and abroad - and she remained an active member to the last. She founded two or three societies for the protection of animals, here and in Europe.
She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters. She thought all letters deserved the courtesy of an answer. Her mother brought her up in that kindly error.
She could write a good letter, and was swift with her pen. She had but an
indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
She never allowed her Italian, French, and German to get rusty through neglect.
- "Death of Jean"
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