The Camp Sunningdale. Feb[ruar]y: 22/[18]91
My very dear Cub I have the afflicting news to tell you that the Ants are all drowned! The last time I looked I found only the big queen & this morning when I looked again I found her in the bottom of the Cairn!- I took her out to make a specimen of, but she was too far gone, Very lokely [likely] it was not a good time to have attempted the removal of the Ants, & that in summer when they would have been more active they might have made a residence for themselves. As it was they ate nothing & probably getting weak as they wandered about, finally fell into the water. It is curious that the Queen should be the last to go she could not survive the death of her subjects! The frost & snow have hurt a great many plants in the garden, my pet bamboos especially: many of them are like hay & the leaves are dropping off. The last week has been very foggy, both in London & here & the trains consequently irregular. Grace goes with Mrs Andry to Astronomical Lectures at the Holloway College & finds them very interesting. She is also having lessons in sketching at Mr: Freshfields with the Miss Freshfields & some other young ladies. Beau is pretty well & begs for biscuits; but is not allowed to have sweet ones. I have just seen Mama & Dicky pass the window of my study, Mama carrying the cairn with the dead ants, & Dicky his spade to dig a grave for them, in the garden! With best love from Mama & all & our love to Hugh

Your ever affectionate Old Lion.