mothwing | Best present ever

LOOK AT THIS AND REJOICE WITH ME IN FRENZIED ALL-CAPS:

This is the copy of "In Memoriam" that Crocky was allowed to use as the "old book" read by Mr Hardcastle in their initial scene in the play. The owner gave it to her, and she gave it to me.
It's a really beautiful little book, bound in green leather that's turning brown around the edges, with that leaf pattern burnt into it and almost faded gold leaf at the top, and, to my great pleasure, a handwritten dedication from someone who gave this book to a "Stella" as a present.

"To Stella, a token of affectionate (XXX) (XXX) from C. (Madge?) (Noar?)."
What do you make of the two words I exed out? "generous loving"?
And, at the bottom of the page, "(XXX) July 7th, 1912".

I love those huge red capitals.

It turned out that the last but one page had never been cut open. Stella does not really seem to have read this book all the way through, tch.