Seward House
Badsey
Evesham
May 17/12
My dearest Wife,
We were so glad to get such a cheering report from Ethel this morning and now I hope you will continue to make steady progress without any drawbacks. It will be very nice for you to have Kathleen with you for two or three days and it will be good for Ethel to be able to take things a little more easily, she is such a good nurse and looks after you so well.
I am not going up till after lunch for I was quite bilious this morning, I came down and had some tea and dry toast which had the desired effect of bringing away the bile and I am practically all right again and have had some soup and shall have a “poached egg to my lunch” before starting. I expect all my travelling about had something to do with it and perhaps the cold north wind just touched my liver, anyway I am all right now or should not want to be writing a letter. I enclose one from Mrs Crone which came this morning.
Brailsford is digging the rose beds, we have a few coming out but you are very much more forward at Torquay.
We have many enquiries after you and May received quite a kind letter from Mrs New to-day.
You said something, dear, about having your name mentioned in Church, I should like you to do exactly as you wish but as you were very low at the time and are now happily improving so well, I thought I would like to have your desire confirmed, or otherwise, in Saturday’s report, that will be in ample time as it will be Wickhamford service in the morning.
5.15 P.M. I have just had tea after my return from Evesham and feel quite up to a little quiet gardening, to-night I think I will absorb a couple of Cockle’s just by way of precaution and also because if you were at home I should probably receive the “little order”!
May and Judy are both all right, the latter now distinctly “whoops” occasionally but seems very jolly.
I heard from Fanny to-day, she was very sorry not to come to you but was not then feeling up to a long journey, she will be very glad to hear Kath is paying you a visit.
The rain has done a lot of good but more will soon be desirable. I went round the orchards yesterday, black plums will be quite scarce but we shall have some of other sorts, apples look like being the crop of the year, if the blight does not interfere, pears I hardly know what to say about, I fancy the common sorts will hang at any rate.
Love to the girls and with much to yourself dear wife I am ever your loving Husband
Julius Sladden
Tell Ethel it was good of her to write me such a nice long letter in the midst of all her occupation.
