Seward House
Badsey
27th April 1915
My dear Juliet
You will be glad to have news from home so I will answer your letter today. Mela is decidedly better, though far from strong yet, she soon tires and is very quiet and apathetic. She went out in the garden on Sunday for a few minutes as it was nice and sunny and this morning we had a short walk together and then she sat in the sun by the dining room window well wrapped up for nearly an hour. I should like to see her with a little more colour and energy. Queenie went off on Saturday in plenty of time for the 3.40 train; when I came downstairs after my rest what was my surprise to hear her voice in the kitchen! She had waited a quarter of an hour at the station, but the ticket office was not open, at last as the train came up a stupid porter opened it and then was so long finding out what the fare was to Shipton that the train went on without her and there wasn’t another till past seven; it was awfully stupid of the man not to shout to the guard to wait a minute for a passenger. Ellen arrived yesterday, she looks so much bigger than I thought her, such a contrast to Queenie; she is a bit rough and a character, of course it will take a little while to see how she gets on.
I hope you will find that you manage your housework all right. I don’t think Miss Crump’s room will take you a whole hour to do when you have got into a routine way of doing it, unless it is a very large room with a great deal of furniture and ornaments. What are the names of your music pupils? I am so sorry about Joyce’s brother, poor boy, he seems so young to go through so much. We have no letter from George and are looking for one every post, we know his regiment has seen some fighting at Givenchy as yesterday’s paper had the name of one of their men who was killed there. Cyril writes that they are being mobilised and next Saturday are to be inspected, so probably some time next week will see them on the move. We are ordering a periscope for him for his birthday present, I wonder where the poor boy will spend his birthday.
May starts school tomorrow, they have one or two new pupils coming. We hear that the Manor House is to be closed. I wonder what will happen to it eventually. With much love, dear, hoping you will have a nice term.
I am your loving mother
Eugénie N Sladden
PS – I am glad the hair is approved of.
PPS – Mela sends her love and will write to you.
