Seward House
Badsey
Sept 16th 1914
My darling Sweetheart
We are all so busy these days that there is not time to do everything. I try to make time for looking up some physiology etc. but it seems almost impossible. Ivy’s Mother is ill and she is at home looking after her but she hopes to return on Friday.
Ethel and I have been asked to tea with Mrs Ashwin this afternoon. Mrs Savory and Roddy and Peggie spent the day with her yesterday and you will be amused to hear that Roddy still looks upon you as a rival. I asked him why he had not volunteered and he replied that he was under age. I professed to be amazed that he was not nearly 35. His answer was “If I had been 35 I should have married you a long time ago. Cyril wouldn’t have been given time to have a look in if I had been older”. My parting shot was that he would have had to ask my permission first and that perhaps he might not have got it even then!
Your Mother was stung by a wasp on her hand yesterday and under her right eye. Her hand is very painful today. I suggested an unfailing remedy, namely to apply an onion to the part at which the sting penetrated, but no one would let her carry this out! This morning Brailsford’s remark was “You ought to have applied an onion to it”!
Another remedy for soothing it if it continues painful is to bathe it in washing soda and water. On enquiry after I found the hand had been bathed but the soda omitted! Betty wanted to do it so I did not take it out of her hands. Another remedy is to make a paste of bicarbonate of soda and sal volatile to spread it over the inflamed area.
Ethel was going into Evesham and said she would get some sal volatile. On her return she said it was raining so hard that she had to take shelter and when she came out of shelter the shops were closed! So between us we’ve done nothing towards easing the pain! Betty has just gone off to bathe your Mother’s hand again and will not I hope forget the soda this time!
Funnily enough your Father was also stung yesterday but not nearly so badly.
Punch is very amusing this week and had issued a supplement called “The new Rakes progress”, various cartoons of the German Emperor from his early manhood to the present.
Do you get plenty of papers, dear, or would you like me to send you some now and again?
The news continues good. Mary, in a letter received by Ethel this morning, says she fears it is too good to last. I hope it will last and feel that as it is steady, not in spurts and spasms, that it is very promising.
Miss Holmes’ father is very ill. He has had a kind of stroke, called a spasm of the brain, which temporarily paralyses all the organs. He has to be artificially fed and is altogether in a very serious condition.
Well – dearest – there is not much news to give you but am sending these few lines just to let you know how we are getting along.
I am taking a tonic, (I don’t know that I really need one!). Hypophosphites. I thought it would just tone me up for hard work.
Are your feet quite well again now? Was that powder of any use?
By the way when you wear the socks I shall soon be sending you, will you tell me exactly where they are uncomfortable, if they should not fit well. Then I will knit the next pair accordingly. One sock will wear better than the other, because the first one was unripped once or twice and this does not improve the wool!
Au revoir, Sweetheart – am not counting on seeing you before I go to Birmingham but am hoping to do so. It will be so nice to have a glimpse – it seems ages since you went.
All my fondest love, dear, look after yourself, especially in this damp weather – am hoping to have a line from you tomorrow. God bless you.
Ever your own affectionate
Mela
