Nov 24 /16
My dear Mela
Thank you so much for sending us the batch of letters which I return herewith, we were glad to have further news of Cyril, I hope he is now getting a more regular delivery of mails. I had a nice letter from your Uncle Ben wrote you he must be a good kind-hearted man and it must be a great comfort to you to receive so many touching letters at such a time. Poor Wilfred! I must write to him, his affection for his brother is very evident. I have been thinking a good deal about you, dear girl, in this time of your distress for although I know you felt the worst had happened, yet the passing of the last lingering hope reopens the wound. In the midst of your trouble you must be very proud of your lost brother who fell for his country on a day that will ever live in its annals and I am sure he played a gallant part in this initial struggle which started the onward push of our splendid troops. I am glad I saw as much as I did of Cecil, we were very partial to him and had learned to appreciate his fine disposition, as I think you know quite well. Mrs Sladden was much attached to him and she had a natural intuition of character and seldom went far astray in her judgment. Well, dear Mela, you will always retain the deepest affection for your brave, unselfish brother and his memory will be the sweeter in the knowledge that he died “Wearing the white flower of a blameless life”.
We shall look forward to seeing you before the year is out. December is a month to me of many memories but recollection need not always be sad, it has its happy sides too.
I am glad May managed to get over to see you, she has rather a heavy cold today which I hope she will get rid of before work begins again.
I hope Barbara was able to rejoin your Mother soon. It was hard for the latter to be alone at this juncture.
With kind love and much sympathy.
I am
Yours affectionately
Julius Sladden
