Seward House
Badsey
Evesham
May 7/12
My dearest Wife,
As we heard nothing from Torquay to-day I am hoping that no news is good news and that you are shaking off this unfortunate cold, I shall be so thankful to know that it passes off without stirring up the former lung trouble.
I will enclose a cheque for £10 and you must let me know at the end of the week how the balance stands.
I hope to start for London on Thursday and, all being well, shall return on Monday morning. The hall is finished and looks very nice, with the cornice slightly tinted the ceiling looks higher than it did.
I was glad to see Aunt Lizzie’s letter which I return. I see she talks of going to London on 9th so if I can I will call at the Grosvenor Hotel one day on the chance of finding her. I also want to arrange to see Aunt George. May went to her school again to-day and is now much better. Judy is better too and this evening her temperature is nearly normal, she still has occasional fits of coughing and we are rather inclined to think it may be whooping cough without a decided whoop, Dr Beresford Jones was a little suspicious as to this last Sunday we shall hear what he says to-morrow. I forgot to send on to you before a few lines Harold Schenk enclosed with the Barts’ Journal, the letter need not be kept. I heard from Lizzie to-day and send on that letter also.
The recent rain though light has done much good and now it is warm with it. I have been getting the geraniums out of the frame to harden them off a little before planting out they are a grand lot of plants 130 alive out of the 150 originally put in the frame. There is another hatch of 10 ducks out of 11 eggs and Brailsford says most of those in other nests are very lively when tried in water, I think Mrs Openshaw's customer is ready to take a lot more as soon as hatched.
I was “astonished” to hear from Elijah to-day that there is another baby at the post office, a boy, truly “she has them all the time”.
Our Wisteria plant against the house wall is loaded with bloom no less than thirty racemes (i.e. bunches) on that small tree.
We thought of joining all round to give Cyril a really good tennis racquet. You will be glad to hear that I have succeeded in putting the dining room clock together with some fresh screws and it is going well. To-morrow I must attend the football dinner prior to that the team is to be photographed on our lawn, cups and all, I really think we must hoist the flag.
Much love to you dear and to Ethel, I do hope we shall have cheering news of you to-morrow morning.
Your loving Husband
Julius Sladden
Wednesday Morning. Ethel’s letter to hand I am glad you had a good night and hope your temperature will soon go down.
