Badsey
Evesham
Sunday afternoon
July 7th/89
My Darling Wife,
You have been such a good girl in writing frequently that I must now sit down and write you a letter as I am going into supper at the vicarage this evening. Jack encloses a letter and May her diary up to date, so that you will have quite a nice budget.
It looks rather more like rain to-day and the glass has fallen considerably so perhaps we shall get some at last, it would be very acceptable. The strawberries have quite dried up and we have had not many since you left. The children are quiet well and happy their appetites were very good at dinner and the raspberry and currant tart was highly appreciated. I had some of our own potatoes dug yesterday and they are larger and better than I expected, the peas are delicious and we shall have a lot to gather this week.
The roses are getting rather over in the pool garden but the ones in the orchard are nice still, the blooms on the house of Belle Lyonnaise are magnificent, I sent Mrs Savory down a nice lot for her garden party and she borrowed some tea-cups etc from us, I believe it went off very well as did the Byrchs, which latter I attended for a little while.
I think you will do well to cross over not later than Wednesday night as then you will have a nice little rest at Surbiton and I can imagine you do not find living at an apartment very exhilarating, we shall all be delighted to welcome you home, dear, and now the time will soon come round, I rather imagine you will be as glad to return as we shall be to get you back, eh little Wife?
The servants do very well in your absence and Phillis really manages to make me very fairly comfortable. Yesterday the Rev Houghton came over about school matters and Mr Savory and I met him at lunchtime at the vicarage. The Gepps are having Kate Jones to stay for a week, I expect she will benefit from the rest and feeding. Old Henry Crisp is rather bad and I doubt if he will rally much again.
I expect to go to Gloucester on Thursday next to judge at the rose show. May was quite pleased to have your letter yesterday. I called at the post office thinking we should hear. With fond love dearest Eugénie believe me ever
your affectionate Husband
Julius Sladden
