Seward House, Badsey
29th November 1895
My dear Kathleen
I would send you a few lines in answer to your letter of last Sunday, which by the way, we did not receive till Wednesday evening. I think they might post them for you on Monday. You will have seen by my post card that poor Jack is laid up with jaundice. He seems to have caught a chill at the medical exam, was quite seedy on Sunday & Monday & more or less so all the week & on Saturday, he was so bad that Auntie sent for the doctor, who said he had jaundice, so he did not go up to the exam at all that day but came home by an earlier train, they telegraphed to Father to have a fly to meet him. He looked very bad for several days, but is getting a little better now, he has got up a little while today & is sitting in his room, or rather in your room, for having Uncle George in the spare room last Sunday, I had given him your room. It is most unfortunate his getting ill just now, as of course it has spoilt his chances of getting through the exam this time, however I hope he may get another chance. The weather has been too horrible this week, it keeps on raining indeed ever since Tom came we have only had about three or four fine days. Last Monday we killed a pig or rather two pigs, but one we sold to Tom Crane, only keeping the hams, so you will escape the pig killing this winter. I had to get Mrs Nightingale to salt the bacon for me, as with Jack ill, I really could not find time. Neither mince meat nor puddings are even begun yet, I meant to have made the former this week, if I get much more behindhand in my work, I am afraid you & May will have to cook quite hard when you come home again, or Christmas will find us unprepared. I am glad your chemises have turned up, by all means bring back two pairs of your sheets, I am very short of them & could spare the small ones much better. I hope there will be no rows this week & that you will manage to get up again in your form; no, I have not heard anything of Miss Poulton, some day I must write & ask her aunt where she is. I have no time for more, so with much love to you both
I am
Your loving mother
Eugénie N Sladden
