Chipping Norton
April 27th/77
My Darling Eugénie,
I think I will sit down and write to you by this morning’s post because the sooner I write, the sooner I can look for a reply, and your letters seem such a necessity to me now that I almost count the hours before I may look for the next; the idea of your suggesting that your letter might be thought “tiresome”! why, my darling girl, the last paragraph, telling me how you read my last letter at night, and put it under your pillow, was enough alone to make me very, very happy, and if ever I feel at all dull, or bothered with business matters, a glance at your dear letters and the thought that I really have the love of my dearest Eugénie makes me as calm and thankful as I should wish to be.
Our little town is excited to-day because there is a poll being taken of the parish to decide whether the church shall be re-seated and otherwise restored or not, I hope we shall carry the day and be able to get a faculty to improve the fine old building, but there is strong opposition from a number of obstructive, tasteless, and narrow-minded individuals, of whom we have too many in this place.
I shall look forward, my dearest one, for your photo next letter I receive, when next I come over we will go together and be taken, if you like, for it would please me very much.
Talking about coming over, I have been thinking it all over, I should dearly like to come at Whitsuntide but the fact is I believe I rather promised to go to Ash then, at the time I threw up my Easter visit to make another journey the result of which has caused me untold happiness! well from a letter I had from my Mother a short time ago I find she evidently expects me, and I know you, my dear Eugénie, will appreciate the feeling which prompts me to make a sacrifice rather than disappoint her, during July and August it will be impossible for me to move and so I think a visit about the middle, or latter half, of June will divide the time better, but oh! how I long for pressure of that dear hand, a smile from that bright face, and a kiss from the sweet lips of my own, own Eugénie.
Excuse a short letter darling, as I am pressed for time. I enclose a few nice lines (as I think) written out for you, at leisure the other day, tell me if you like any of them. Thanks for a sketch of your every day life, all these little matters interest.
Yours for ever most lovingly
Julius Sladden
