Badsey
Evesham
May 27/99
My Dearest Wife,
I will try and write you a few lines before breakfast that you get the letter Sunday morning.
I did not get home yesterday before the last tram from Worcester. I met Arthur all right at Newport and we went on to Cardiff. I think Dr Thompson’s opinion is re-assuring, he says the short sight has come on rapidly and probably from his growing fast but that in order to check it going further it is imperative that he should wear glasses continuously (except at football) he advised him to have “pince nez” for ordinary wear and a pair of spectacles to hook behind the ears for cricket bicycling &c and having given the particulars as the lenses to hand to the optician he send us to a good man in Cardiff who was able to fit him out during the short interval while we got some dinner, the two pair of glasses with nice light coloured steel rims cost 17/- and as the doctor’s first fee was but one guinea is not very serious, Arthur put on the “pince nez” at once and with them his normal vision was quite restored and he will no doubt find glasses comfortable and advantageous in every way. I like Dr Tatham Thompson very much and he seems to have a high reputation, he says Arthur’s sight would not satisfy the requirements of the two services Army & Navy, but that he would pass for the Civil Service, here or foreign, he says the glasses may arrest further development of short sight at once or it may still increase a little for a time in the latter case it would be necessary to adjust the glasses in a few months, if not there is no need to see him again this year, he gave him instructions how to test the matter for himself, month by month. Cyril’s eyes are nearly well.
May wants to know where she can find the curtain hooks she can only find a few. I think there is no doubt it was a fox got at the poultry as one was seen near the brook about that time. May’s tyre (inner tube) can be mended, they had not put it on quite right, Jack mended the punctures found. I hope you found Grannie pretty well.
Give my love to all and with much to yourself
I remain
Your affectionate Husband
Julius Sladden
Hope Baby will be good in your absence.
Sharp frost last night cut potatoes and French beans hope it has not hurt the fruit I think not much.