University House
Birmingham
Jan 17th 1917
My dear Boy
I must just send this extra note to tell you a little incident that has happened since I’ve been in the sick room.
Nurse McCosh, one of the nurses who shares my bedroom, came in to see me just now and brought me a bunch of violets. We are not supposed to see anyone so it was a quick visit. She said in her Scotch way “Oh – Nurse I’m afr-r-raid I have some bad news for you. Your pet photogr-r-haphs have been confiscated and are lying face downwar - rds on your bed.”
My pet photos being you and Cecil.
We are not supposed to have more than 2 photos each in our room and I only had yours and Cecil’s. We had been warned our rooms were going to be inspected but I thought I was quite safe as I only had two. We were told that any photos above 2 each would be confiscated and we should have to go to Home Sister and claim them. I cannot think why she left mine on the bed! It’s a good thing she did for if she had taken them I would have had a lot to say about it - I can assure you. The only solution McCosh and I came to is that mine were photos of men, because all photos belonging to the others have been left, being ladies! I told McCosh she could put mine back as I should keep them even if they were of men. If I cannot have my own brother’s photo and that of my fiancé, whose can I have!
Has your photo of me been confiscated?!!! I do feel wild about it but I see the funny side too.
Some day I must introduce you to the lady confiscator as “my husband”, the original of the photographs. Isn’t it a lot of nonsense!
Best love old boy, see what I suffer on your behalf.
Your ever devoted
Mela
