Seward House
Badsey
2nd April 1916
My dear Cyril
I ought to have written to you last week but put it off day after day, partly because I was not very well and rather disinclined for letter writing and now Sunday has come round again. We were very pleased to get news of you this morning in your letter to May written the end of February and posted 3rd March; it was quite a month or more since we had heard anything of you. There was also a letter for Mela which we sent on to her at Folkestone where she is staying with the Moneys. I am very glad she is having a change there and hope it will set her up as she certainly was a good deal run down and not herself; that case at Ashton was rather too much for her and she must have a good long rest now. Then I am sure she felt having no letters from you and this one will cheer her up.
I am not quite sure whether I have written to you since my present arrived from Port Said; thank you so much for it, the scarf is lovely and the Egyptian work very quaint and we think it would look very well mounted as a fire-screen. The dear little brooch has been sent to Dorothy Mary.
We had a tremendous blizzard here on Monday night and all Tuesday, the worse one I remember since that very bad one on Jan 18 1881. It was worse all over the Midlands and in South Wales and as far south as London; no end of damage was done, trees blown down all over the place and great damage to telegraph and telephone posts, so that communications are quite stopped in many places; the lines are unusable here, there were 60 poles blown down between Evesham and Broadway and no traffic could go along the road, they have a platoon of Royal Engineers there putting things to rights; but it will take weeks before things are quite in order again.
Unfortunately Arthur has just got his leave at this time, and I am afraid it has upset his plans a good deal as he could not communicate with Mary on Friday to let her know where to meet him. Dowlais was quite cut off and even the trains not running that day; however I believe he got there yesterday, I had a postcard from him this morning. I hear from Kathleen that George is now Sergeant and likes the work. What a pity his letter to you has not turned up, I hope it may eventually as you would be especially interested to have that one.
The Vicar had heard from Harold today; he was on one of the Allen Liners. Poor Robin Dewhurst had very hard luck, he had actually started on his leave and got as far as Marseilles when he was ordered back to start off with all of you; that was worse than your disappointment. And now I must congratulate you on getting your promotion, I happened to be looking down the Gazette yesterday week and saw your name and was very pleased about it; we wrote off to Mela in case she had not seen it and she hadn’t so was quite excited at the good news. Are you still in “C” Company?
Ethel is still at Deal nursing poor Norah and looking after Aunt Edith; I expect she will be coming home before very long as Marian will be able to get back this week. I think Juliet will be home next Tuesday. May has had a busy time being the only girl at home and I am able to do so very little at present and don’t pick up my strength as I should like; however with better weather I may get on faster.
March has been very bad this year but now April has come in we have had two lovely summer days and I sat in the garden for more than an hour this afternoon. I shouldn’t like to have done so a week ago!
Father has made a good start on pruning the rose bed, the pergola is in Brailsford’s hand this year. Juliet’s poor old black cat has disappeared and we can’t hear anything of it, I am afraid it must have been killed.
With much love, dear, hoping you will keep well and not have too trying a time.
Your loving Mother
Eugénie N Sladden
