Seward House
Badsey
27th May 1914
My dear Juliet
I hope you have got your spectacles by this time and that you will find them comfortable and have no more trouble with your eyes. It was rather naughty of you to write such a long letter when you were not supposed to be using them at all; what did Mr Brewerton say about the sight, is it longer or shorter than when he last saw you? You must have had rather an amusing time with the inspectors, I wonder if they will pass the school as a recognized one, very likely not, as Miss Lacey’s ways are certainly not those of all other schools and she does not love red tape. I should like to have heard some of the discussions, especially when Miss L told she didn’t care whether they passed the school or not!
May and I are starting tomorrow for Eastbourne. I hear Mary may very likely meet us at Paddington, and perhaps Kathleen at Victoria. May will have to get back on Monday evening, but I am glad she will have these few days as she has been looking rather done of late. Yes, Queenie has been here a fortnight, she is a little older than Ivy, 17 next month; she is short, but quite neat looking and wears rather decent caps. It is early days to say how she will manage the work, of course she wants a lot of teaching and looking after, still they are both getting on. Ethel will be dreadfully busy the next fortnight till the Asparagus Show and Sale of work is over, I am barely running away from it! I hope it will go off all right and make a nice lot of money. Poor Badsey people are rather sad, the late frosts have done so much damage and it will not be the good season they hoped for three or four weeks ago. You will be glad to hear that our bedroom is going to be done up next week, I have chosen a paper and the paint. I hear Kathleen and Cyril have been distempering the walls of their bathroom after taking off three dirty papers! They think it looks better; Mrs Horsman, who did not approve of their doing it, thinks it looks worse!
I mustn’t write any more as it is getting late and I must look out some of my things before going to bed. With much love.
I remain
Your loving Mother
Eugénie N Sladden
PS – I heard from Mrs Trimble yesterday. When things are in a quieter state in Ireland, she would like you to stay with Margaret, but it certainly won’t be this year. No news of your combies yet.
