The Nurses’ Home
The General Hos.
Birmingham
Dec 8th 1914
Sweetheart
This is not a letter only a few lines enclosing letters for you to read. I was delightfully surprised to find another letter for me this morning and am so glad you are not going abroad until March.
Please, dear, return Cecil’s and Mary Campbell’s letters by return or the same day if you can as Bar wants them back.
I am really dying to write you a chatty letter but most go out for a blow of fresh air. I may write again tomorrow anyhow quite soon.
God bless you my darling Boy.
Ever your own loving
Mela
I heard from your Mother and Ethel yesterday.
Sunday. 5.15p.m.
Darling,
It is so hard to part with these proofs – they are so exactly like you. I have marked the two I like best with a 1 and the next with 2 and 3. I hesitated very much between the one of you sitting down with no hat and the one full face, head and shoulders, but the latter appeals to me because when I look at it you are looking straight into my eyes with just the expression I remember so well. I hope you are going to let me have two copies, one of each.
Comparing them with the old photo of you it is like a man asleep and a man awake, the latter is the man I knew you were underneath when sometimes I have been horrid enough to tell you you needed rousing.
It is sweet to see my own dear husband to be looking at me and I just long for the original.
No, dear, I am not going to Badsey this day off, because I want to have a late morning in bed for a change having been up at six for the last two months. A nurse who has been away for a holiday, Nurse Page, tells me I am looking awfully well and plump, better than when I first came. I thought you might like to know this.
You are a bad naughty boy to keep offering to help me – it is awfully sweet of you to want to get me a ticket to go home but I must not let you do this sort of thing too often.
If there is a concert on anywhere on my “day” I think I’ll try and go to it and amuse myself thus.
I must get ready to go to Church now.
Tell the photographer those photos are urgent and to let you have them at once if not sooner! I am delighted with them.
With all my heart’s love, Beloved, God bless and keep you.
Ever your own affectionate
Mela
A little bird told me that you are very much liked and respected by your men, who say you are strict but they admire you for it.
