Badsey
October 10 1895
My Dear Kathleen
I must write to you this evening as it is quite your turn for a letter. We are very interested in your weekly budget and to hear how you are getting on and think you have made a creditable start. It is very good of Sister Miriam and Miss Du Pre to give you your dancing lessons, we rather wished you to have them but did not find it convenient to have the extra expense. It is very pleasant for you that you find your form mistress so nice and it is easier to learn with anyone you like. We have finished picking the Blenheim apples. There were about 66 pots. There is a fair lot of fruit to come down yet. Mother and I went to the lecture at Evesham on astronomy by Sir R Ball and took Miss Lynes and Arthur. I managed to get the latter in although he was under 14! The lecture was most interesting and the room crammed. The next will be on “Spiders and their wisdom”. I think Ethel will go to that. Your young Aylesbury ducks wandered away for a day or two not long since. However after the boys had failed to get tidings of them I saw “strict Bobby” and he found them the other side of the mill wheel at Wickhamford. Mrs Ping Yang has taken it into her head to begin laying again, it will be rather late of the hatches for young goslings. We have a few roses still and I cut a very fine “Silver Queen”, budded this year, on Sunday.
Jack seems working away well at school. Mr Chambers says they (the masters) are inclined to be hopeful about him. Georgie is pretty good with Mother in doing his lessons and his geese are really getting quite fat! We have just filled a 100 gallon cask with cider and may perhaps make a like quantity of perry and then we shall have some grinding fruit. Arthur was very lucky in getting lifted up and down from school, we say he smiles upon the people and makes them good natured. Now I must say good night and with much love to May and yourself.
I am your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
