Oct 16th /00
My dear Kath
Feeling somewhat exasperated at having left out the stiffening in Baby’s bonnet, just as I was getting on with it, I shall leave it and begin an answer to your long letter which I was very pleased to get. I will try and write a longer enough scribble to satisfy you. I have got a brute of a pen, not my own, as I am too lazy to go upstairs and fetch it. Mother will tell you I expect that we were not black-balled and are therefore duly members of the VEMLS. Mrs Price is going to have musical one only, Mendelssohn, and she bargained some time ago, before we were elected, that I shall play something for her, so I am endeavouring to learn one. Now for some of your questions. I think we are getting on pretty well at home, Mother is pretty cheerful. I started making her practice when Father was away last week, and I have kept her up to it every evening since so far. She is learning “Spinning Song” by Liszt, and revising some old ones. When I have finished practising I leave the light and send Mother. Since Ada came back from her holiday, she has been quite brilliant. Tea is on the table at 6 o’clock, breakfast quite by 8.15 and the tray is brought in without ringing the bell at 8. Today it was 8.10, I hope she will not continue and advance time. She is going to have a sewing machine and then wonders will be done I suppose in the way of needlework. I hope so. I am just making some gingerbread of my own make, it is most delicious, I put half the amount of ginger in - you did, and it is just right. We have got a new burner in this lamp today, and the difference in light is remarkable. If fine, Mother and I are going to lunch at Kempsey on Thursday, we seem to have got this week quite full. Mother is going to call on the Leslies and at Evesham Vicarage tomorrow. On Friday there is a sale of partly old and new things for Wickhamford, and Mother has to help there. Church hassocks are on my mind for next week. I have been altering Baby’s best winter frock, and am now making a new bonnet out of stuff left over from Mrs Wood’s bonnet of hers, on the same pattern using the same fur. I am (begun a sentence, I suddenly forgotten what I was going to say). I daresay you may have seen that the Dean of Windsor has lost his wife; she died from cancer, I am sorry for him, as I always liked his face so much. I am so glad you seem to enjoy your new life, I am sure you will have a jolly time at college. I think May will like living abroad, she writes very cheerfully. Her description of the Cathedral and French manners, are exactly what we saw in Boulogne. I want awfully to go and see you, I hope I shall be able to some time. I am glad you have been to Windsor. I hope Joyce will be allowed to go over and see you, it would be jolly for you to have her over. I daresay you will see something of Miss Sugden occasionally, it must be nice for you to see old faces. I am very glad Father has made arrangements about Dip’s work, he will feel more settled now. He will have to go to London for his exam in Jan, so I daresay he will be able to stay with Jack. Your Political Society will be great fun, I should think. I do not know if you were here when I had a long letter from V Gepp; she sounds so happy in Germany. I heard from Violet Milling this morning, she told me she had seen you. None of the girls have heard from Miss White yet she says. Which of the govs at the college is Miss Watson? Is she a new one or an old? I am getting so sleepy so I cannot write any more, altho’ there is plenty to say. I will write you a long letter another time. Baba is such a dear duck. I rode down from Evesham with Hilda yesterday.
With much love from your loving sister
E N Sladden
