Seward House
Badsey
11th May 1915
My dear Juliet
You do seem to be in a bad way altogether at school. I hope Miss Lacey will soon be able to get hold of some charwomen or Vigintis or both, or I am afraid some of you will get quite overdone and have no time at all for your proper work. You will begin to be sorry that you suggested doing some housework! I am very sorry that Miss Lacey keeps so poorly, she really ought to give in for a bit and go away for a few weeks’ rest; she will quite knock up if she does not do something of the sort and that would be a great pity. Don’t you go and catch German measles, measles is bad enough but German ones!!
After all Cyril must have had a charming birthday, Mela went up to Sydenham on Saturday till Monday and Boo was able to get up for the weekend also which was very nice for them; he does not think now that he will be going abroad till about the end of the month for which I feel thankful. I expect George is just about leaving the Convalescent Camp; in his letter last week, he expected to be there about a week or ten days, so now we shall feel anxious about him again. Arthur is very busy we hear through Mary and it is about a fortnight since we had a letter. I am very sorry to hear about Joyce Ashby’s brother-in-law; their people seem to have been unlucky. I think you might very well write and ask Aunt Fanny if she would have you for a weekend, she can but say no if it is not convenient and I don’t think she would be offended at your asking. Write before long as then she could tell you what time would be convenient if she was able to have you. She, May and Christine have been staying at Bexhill while the kitchens were done up, but are back at Addlestone now. We are out of the dining room for a few days as the ceiling is being whitewashed and mantelpiece painted; we really shall finish the spring cleaning some day I hope. I think that Lieutenant Sladden must belong to Margaretta and family; they lived at Stockton on Tees, so would very likely join a Yorkshire Regiment. We never could trace any relationship but I fancy they really came from the same family.
What happens to Miss Crump’s room, tea-parties etc if you go off for a weekend? Do you have to get someone else to do it for you? We had some thunder here on Friday, but no rain, though it poured at Bretforton. It is close on post-time, so I must stop. Isn’t the loss of the Lusitania awful? What will those dreadful Germans do next.
With much love, dear
I am your loving mother
Eugénie N Sladden
