Marshgate House
Richmond
Surrey
8th June 1914
My dear Eugénie
Thank you for both your letters and for the wedding cake, Dalgarno had a piece, I hope Mary and Arthur will be very happy and I hope the servant she now has will be a help and a comfort. I am so glad you are having a nice visit at Mrs Fellows, it will be so restful for you, will you give her my kind regards and I hope she is getting stronger now but influenza is a terrible illness for making one feel weak. Anna is now at Weymouth and Dalgarno is enjoying digging on the sands, Anna was to go to the Lakes during Nurse’s holiday and wishes me to join them there which I hope to do after my visit to Mary and Mr Simpson on the 16th July for a fortnight. We shall take care of Dalgarno between us which will be very nice. I heard from Fred this morning. I had written to ask his advice as to letting Gus have some false teeth, for his are dropping out and he ought to eat meat and can’t masticate it, I have forgotten how much I sent to supply his wife with some, the day Joe went to see Gus he was in bed, knowing he was coming he did not get up for fear of his arriving in the middle of his toilet, but he does get up as a rule, his legs are very weak. I think his head also, there is no doubt his nerves want nourishing, so I have asked Fred to find out whether the Doctor thinks he can go through the pain and distress that he went to have his mouth properly seen to. Anna sent them 2 nice parcels of Brand’s essence, potted meats and calf’s foot jelly whilst we were at Folkestone, with which they were very much pleased and more especially with a little note she wrote to her Aunt telling her the jelly was for her for Gus does not like anything sweet. I gather from his wife that his head and want of teeth and great depression are his greatest troubles, I am very sorry for them both for she is not in good health and feels the strain of nursing him very much, it has been going on for so long. I wonder whether Arthur has heard from Anna, she was going to write to him to find out what they want for a wedding present. Fanny Butler and May Capon came to see us on Friday, Monica is much better and is at Westgate with her mother, but Mr Harper is laid up with whooping cough at his mother’s. Mr Capon has a post on the staff of “Madame” so I hope it will prosper. Mrs Lambert has been with us for a short visit but leaves on Wednesday to join her mother at Eastbourne. We expect Ethelwyn, Courtney, Nurse and Baby on the 29th for a fortnight. Fred tells me he will probably after all not give up his work till 1915. I enclose postal orders for the schooling fund. It was so nice that Charlotte came home before I left Folkestone. I am sure you will really enjoy your visit to Arthur and his bride. I heard from Mary this morning. Thornton Simpson’s wife has her first babe a little girl and both doing well. On Thursday evening, Harry’s “Lads” had their sports with St John’s and St Luke’s and others in the old Deer Park, they came here afterwards to receive prizes and then had refreshments as also Officers and others we were very busy. With Mrs Lambert’s kind remembrances and my love.
Ever your loving sister
Mary Anna Robinson
