Badsey
Evesham
Oct 18/99
My Dear Ethel,
We were very pleased to hear you had succeeded in getting top in form last week and think it very creditable. I hope no more cases of scarlatina (mem for both you and K. letter 6 is a not e) have occurred. We have sent you off by rail a bag of walnuts which I hope you will enjoy, you would be horrified at the colour of Cyril’s hands after shelling the outer husk.
Last Saturday one of our men Joe Penson had a heavy cart crush his leg so badly that it had to be amputated at the knee, the poor fellow is being well looked after in the cottage hospital and is doing well so far.
How many babies were christened in Badsey Church last Sunday do you think? No less than nine! that must be quite a record I think.
John Roberts has been called up with the reserves and will I expect go out to South Africa.
I will post you a newspaper with an account of the opening of parliament as you may like to see some of the chief speeches, of course the papers are very interesting just now although probably the decisive battles will not be fought for some weeks, however no doubt the news will be more or less exciting from day to day and I am glad Sister is able and willing to keep you posted up.
Your letters arrived on Monday just in time to enable Mother to read them before she started, you had better post here next Sunday and I will forward them on, she may not re-cross before Tuesday I am not certain yet, she is going to stay with Auntie Fanny on her way back.
Mother has had quite a lot of applications for the place, she has engaged Ada Sebright, the washerwoman’s daughter, she is 19 and seems suitable, some of the applicants were very decent sort of girls.
Mother and Auntie have not got the usual apartments as they were full, however the people recommended another place, to which they have gone.
May has Baby in her room at present, she is very jolly and talks more and more, to-night when she kissed one on going to bed she said ni-ni dada, ni-ni mamma too. We have got all the fruit picked now and had a cask of cider made to-day, I think it will be rather good.
Now I must say good night.
With love to you both
I remain
your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
