Badsey
Evesham
Oct 13th/98
My dear Ethel,
I thank you very much for your letter. You will get your letters rather late this week, Mother & I were busy doing needle work yesterday evening & had no time to write till this evening.
We were so glad to hear that you went up two places in form last week. I want you to gradually work up to the top & stay there or thereabouts so that you will be moved up at Christmas.
I thought you would enjoy having Father, he is coming home tomorrow by the 7.23. Mother heard from him today, he says all there are well but Aunt Susan has aged a good deal. Clara is better but she still cannot do much, she does not get up to breakfast yet so Mother & I have to get up & get breakfast etc., perhaps she may be able to by Sunday but we shall have to make her work easy for some time & look after her a bit.
Baby’s cold is much better, on Saturday & Sunday she was quite poorly, the last day or two she has been a little bit naughty sometimes, she has little tantrums occasionally. She says “ta” for grace so nicely now except when she is obstinate & won’t. Sometimes she says it about a dozen times when at last it does come out.
I hope your nail will soon be all right again. I am glad you like “In the Golden Days”, mind you read as much as possible won’t you.
Maggie & Lily have had bad colds & only had lessons today for the first time this week. Cyril has had his alone over here. As it happened it was rather a convenient time as Mother was glad to have a little more help from me while Clara was ill.
Mrs Nightingale has been in most days so we got along pretty well. Mrs Wood wants me to give them music lessons in the afternoon instead of from nine till ten, during the winter as the drawing room is so cold in the early morning. It is rather tiresome as it will break into my afternoons rather. In fact on some days such as Literary days I don’t think I shall be able to. The next Literary is on Tuesday at Mrs Malcolm’s Act III & IV of “As You Like It” will be read, I have got to read “Oliver”.
There is to be a concert at the Old Schoolroom next Thursday for Wickhamford Church, Mr Price & Joe Agg are getting it up. Hilda Ashwin is going to sing, she says she is rather nervous & hopes there will be no very grand performances.
Last Friday while doing the Church lamps I did an awful thing, I smashed a globe & a glass but it was not altogether my fault as the thing on the lamp that holds them was broken & they came gaily sliding off over my head when I was getting it down. I confessed to Mr Price on the way down to Sunday School, he didn’t seem very much put out about it. My Sunday-School boys are simply awful, they actually last Sunday threatened to complain to Mr Price because I didn’t give them enough marks, did you ever hear such cheek?
I expect Father told you my photos came at last, last Friday they are very good, of course they sent two different positions, we like one better than the other so I have ordered seven more of that & three more of the other. When they come I will send you & Kathleen one of the nicer ones. I have already sent the proof of the nicer one to Emily as I knew she was expecting one.
How do you get on with hockey? Don’t be afraid of keeping up with the ball running into it.
Cyril went to Evesham today with Mother & had two teeth out.
Am I not good? I have practised every day this term except one Saturday.
Mrs Nightingale has been quite gay lately, she went to Evesham & Stratford mop, I think with her young(?) man. Have you heard that she has another, Griff the father of the Dragon.
The enclosed letter came from Kilburn the other day, they sent two collecting papers, I thought I would send one to you & perhaps I might be able to get a few pence on the other.
Lily was much pleased at getting a similar letter, she showed it me today. I think I shall have to try & arrange some little thing to do in the week that they can join, perhaps an afternoon at doll-dressing or tea making & something of the hand.
Much love from
May
