Seward House, Badsey
23rd March 1896
My dear Kathleen
Very many happy returns on your birthday, dear child, I hope you may spend a happy birthday though you are away from home & at school. So Auntie Fanny is thinking of you as usual, it is all the kinder as her time must be much taken up with little Freddy; I am so glad he is a little better & hope he will get on now. I hope you will like the tennis racquet we are sending you, & that Auntie Fanny won’t go & choose the same thing off your list, but perhaps you thought of a few more things to put down when you wrote to her. How did you like the music at St. George’s? You do not say anything about it. Ethel & I went up to the “Arts & Crafts” Exhibition at Evesham last week; there were a good many pictures there & some curiosities, but we had scarcely time to see much of them, as soon after we got there they darkened the hall to show some live pictures, & these were very well done. I heard from Auntie Polly the other day, they think of giving a dance at the Star & Garter about the 1st of May. Fanny has passed her theory exam & will soon go up for the piano one. Anna seems to be enjoying herself in Brussels, Hubert is at home now & Ethelwyn is to spend her Easter holidays at Richmond.
I am sorry to hear there are more cases of chicken pox in the school; you have both had it, so I should hope you would not catch it again. I think George is really rather better at his lessons, only he is so terribly up in the moon, & of course he wants a great deal more attention than I can manage to give him. Little Cyril gets on well & if I could only give him my undivided attention for two or three hours a day, he would soon know a lot; he is certainly quick & particularly at figures. I don’t think Easter will be as nice as usual with all you children away & Father too down at Folkestone, but I am glad the latter is going to have a little change & he will be able to give us an account of Jack. It is getting late & I must say good-night. With much love to you both & again wishing you a happy birthday.
I remain
Your loving mother
Eugénie N. Sladden
P.S. Ethel is going to write to you & you will probably get the letter next post.
