Seward House, Badsey
26th Sep 1895
My dear May
I intended to have answered your letter this afternoon, but I began a game of croquet with George & Ethel which proved rather a long one, & before we had finished Mr Gepp called & then Mr. Woodward looked in, so I got too late for post. We were much interested in hearing more particulars about your school. I hope you are both beginning to get over the strangeness & getting into the work. I am rather vexed about the drill dresses, if you really require them & the cotton blouses fit, you had better send me one as a pattern & I would get Phillis to copy them in serge, however if there is no need for them, it is not worth while to trouble & perhaps you can wear them instead of other blouses. I am sorry now you did not take more of the latter with you the hot weather is lasting so long that I fear you must be troubled to keep cool, as you have so few summer things with you. When you write again I want you to give me the order of the day from dinner-time till bed-time, & also a detailed account of your Sundays. Have you had any tennis?
I am beginning to get a little more used to your absence, but it is very dull & quiet without you both. Father is at Folkestone this week till Saturday which makes it still worse. We manage pretty well with the lessons. I try to get up a bit earlier, so as to get breakfast over in good time. Ethel helps me with the beds & dusts her room then goes to practise while I finish dusting the rooms & chairs. Prayers at ten, after which I hear their lessons & set them either sums, an exercise or parsing which they can do alone while I finish the housework, do the lamps or make a pudding. At half-past eleven Cyril & I both go into the school-room & we go on till one. Cyril is very proud of himself, he has done two addition sums by himself without any mistake, I think tomorrow I must show him how to carry. Ethel has to do an hour’s practising or music lesson & half an hour’s work in the afternoon & after tea, she & George have their prep to do. I am also giving Arthur some extra French twice a week. I am glad you are in the fifth form & hope you will soon get into the work. Jack passed in all his subjects for the lower Certificate, & was first class in Arithmetic, Mathematics & Scripture. How do you like your music-mistress? Does she teach after Miss Poulton’s system or more as I do? Does Miss Du Pré do any teaching in your form, how do you like her? There is not much news to give you & as it is late, I must leave off. Give my love to Kathleen. I must write to her next week; Ethel talked of writing to her, but I don’t know whether she will have energy enough to get up early to do so. I hope your cold has quite gone, you must take care of Kathleen if the house is cold & draughty, make her wrap up well. Now with fond love to you both
Believe me
Your loving mother
Eugénie N Sladden
P.S. How are your letters posted? We received them on Tuesday morning. What division are you in, in the house?
