Seward House,
Badsey
4th November 1898
My dear Ethel
I was rather tired yesterday evening after our expedition to Malvern so put off writing till this afternoon.
I enclose a postal order for 7/6, 4s/- for your exeat, & 1/9 each pocket money till the end of the term. Baby’s little bonnet is very pretty & just big enough for her now, so I am letting her wear it at once as she will soon outgrow it again, she looks very sweet in it. I am sending you a piece of fine linen, if that will not do for the hem-stitching, let me know & I will get some cambric. I haven’t any by me at present. Fancy poor old Dip with a broken collar bone, I am so sorry & do hope he will soon be all right again. May is going to write to you so will no doubt give you an account of the dance at the Ashwins, it was a grand affair & very well done. I enclose a programme & the ‘menu’ of the supper which I thought you would like to see. May looked very nice. Mrs Masters has made her dress fit better & she wore red & white carnations & her corals around her neck. I did her hair for her & it went pretty well. We had a very good programme at the Wildings on Tuesday, (one enclosed). The music was very good. Mr Davis & Mr Waugh both singing very well; I played one of Chopin’s Valses by heart & got through it all right. The beginning of the proceedings was rather dreadful, the Horace Haynes wished to propose two Miss Laws, two new people at Evesham as members, they were warned beforehand that they had better not, as several people did not want them, but persisted, & so they were very much blackballed; I wonder how Mrs Horace liked that. I am so sorry to hear that you have eczema on your hands & hope that the ointment Sister gives you will do it good, if it is not better by the holidays we must see what Mr Haynes can do for it. I hope you will enjoy your stay at Byfleet very much, give my love to Auntie Fanny. After we left the photographer’s yesterday we had an hour or two to spare before train time, so walked up to the Wyke & called on Mr Rashleigh & his Mother; the poor old lady had a terrible accident about six months ago, she fell down in the Crystal Palace Gardens & broke her thigh & her shin & shoulder in two places; it is a wonder she pulled round at all as she is 75, she can’t walk at all yet, but may be able to after a while, but one leg will be shorter than the other. How funny that you do not hear from Violet. I will try & write to Mrs Gepp before long & will ask about her.
Give my love to Kathleen & thanks for the note, she is not to worry about her work. With much love. You will have it fine Saturday & Sunday & Monday.
I remain
Your loving mother
Eugénie N. Sladden
