Petone
Wellington
New Zealand
May 25th
My dear Juliet
What a long time it is since I wrote to you last, you must think that the [?] has forgotten all about the [?], but such is not by any means the case.
So you have really gone to school, and by this time must feel quite at home there. I wonder how you like it all, I expect it is lovely there with plenty of nice girls to make friends with. I should be so pleased if you could write some day and tell me all about your school life.
Mary’s two little pupils are having holiday just now, but begin lessons again next Monday. Mary and Dolly had a number of children here to spend the afternoon on Monday, and they all seemed to enjoy themselves very much indeed. It was not a very fine day so they could not play out of doors, but had all sorts of puzzles and games in the dining room, then of course they had tea, and Dolly had made some nice cakes for them so they really had a very good time.
Little Eileen and Jack spent a day with us last week, they are such darlings, and Jack talks so nicely now. He kept on saying “My wants dinner”, and refused milk and biscuits and bread and butter. But at last when dinner time came his little face beamed all over, and he ate up his vegetables and gravy so nicely. He must have thought that after his long walk here it was quite time for dinner and no doubt he was hungry. If he has anything he doesn’t quite like, he says in such a quaint little way, “My can’t like it,” and shakes his little curly head. Eileen goes to a dancing class now and loves it, and when she gets home again she tries to teach Jack to curtsey and dance, but does not find him a very satisfactory pupil.
Did you know what Dolly is probably going to England next year? She is looking forward to it very much and will come to see you all. I wonder whether she will spend Christmas at Badsey as Mary and I both did.
Dolly and I both had birthdays a few weeks ago and Dolly made us such a beautiful large cake with almond icing as well as other icing, weren’t we spoilt people!
Much love to you dear from
Your loving cousin
Maidie Sladden
