Badsey
August 30 1895
Dear Kathleen
You have been a good girl to write to us, at length, about all your doings and I must answer the long letter you wrote me the other day. We are glad that you are enjoying your visit so much and, as usual, you seem to be in luck’s way. And now I am going to tell you a great piece of news – we have decided to do without a governess, Mother undertaking to teach Ethel, George and Cyril while you and May are to go to the High School at Clewer near Windsor, and this is how it came about. Miss Du Pre of Cheltenham understanding from Miss Poulton that we could not entertain the idea of sending you to the college there (and she being favourably impressed with what she saw of your work) wrote some little time back to Mother recommending Clewer as a good school with moderate fees, where her sister, another Miss Du Pre, is head of the teaching department, well – Mother said in reply that we could not afford it and, now recently Miss Du Pre of Clewer, after consulting with the lady who keeps the school boarding house, has written offering to take May as a free pupil if we will pay the ordinary terms for you, in other words the two of you will be taken at the ordinary fees for one. This seems such an advantageous offer that , after consideration, we have thought well to accept it, as Auntie, Uncle John and I think Grandma, who have helped, find you a governess hitherto, will kindly continue to help pay these school fees, of course we have written to Auntie all about it but I preferred you should not know of it till all was settled and as you will probably receive this letter on Sunday morning I shall tell the news to May and the others at breakfast time on that day, so that you will all hear the news about the same time. I need hardly add that I hope and believe you girls will try and make the very best of an expected opportunity, we do not yet know when the term commences but it is some time in Sept. Mother has been to shop today to buy you some sheets and towels, which you have to take with you and she will be very busy getting both you girls and Jack ready to go away. Tell Auntie I will try and write to her on Sunday you will all be glad to hear that Jack’s other eye has been operated upon and it seems very successful. I hope Grannie is getting on comfortably at Deal. The buds arrived in good order. Please thank Auntie and tell her she cut them like a professional! I have about exhausted my paper so will now write no more as I think I have given you a pretty big bit of news to think over. Give Cyril a kiss for me. I hope he is a good boy, With love to Uncle and Auntie, not forgetting Grannie when she returns, and much to you two chicks.
I remain your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
Saturday morning
Your letter to Mother only just received, glad you are able to give us so good an account of all your doings. I enclose a letter for Cyril from Ethel.
