Nov 13/03
My dearest Wife,
I must try and write you a few lines this evening as to-morrow I may be busy.
It has been such a warm fine day, most fortunate for the time of year. Dear old Mother looked very peaceful, more as she was ten years ago, and the coffin remained open till this morning, Charlotte and I took a last peep and I kissed her cold forehead for all of us, the hearse started at 10 a.m. and we met it at Sandwich.
Aunt George was to have come and kept Aunt Susan company during the funeral but she had a sore throat, we four accompanied the first carriage, Edith, John and Jack the second, while Miss K. Potter and Miss Cumming were in the third, Mrs Tom Coleman joined at the Church and Austen and Gertrude Gardner, everything was conducted very nicely, Father’s coffin was in an exceedingly good state of preservation, and now resting on cross bars, Mother’s lies within a few inches.
To-morrow afternoon I must try and see Aunt Susan and shall probably go to Ash Church with George on Sunday and have some dinner with the Gardners.
Yesterday we went through all the books and decided how they should be *alotted, also a few trinkets, the china and plate must wait a little while.
Edith and Frank entertained us here after the funeral, the former has despatched a large parcel by post for Norah, the iron had already gone.
I hope you are getting on all right in my absence, my love to all and much to you dear.
I really must leave many details till we meet, on Monday I hope.
Your loving Husband
Julius Sladden
?*alloted
