Badsey
Evesham
July 1/96
My Dear Kathleen,
I will supplement my letter of last evening to May, by writing to you now. We are expecting Aunt Lottie and Uncle John to-morrow afternoon, they propose to stay over Sunday and go on to Malvern, by the way only one wing of the Imperial Hotel was burnt so that they are able to carry business on partially.
I am glad you did well in your essay, I suppose they want to push you on in mathematics as you have extra time allowed for that subject.
The work-people have nearly finished but we cannot quite get rid of them, the hall is finished all but varnishing and the front door ditto, we really must have the paper done up a bit it looks so shabby now.
Great-Uncle George writes that he thinks Jack is to be commended for taking so high a place, and you know praise from him is praise indeed.
I must try and send you a few roses soon but cannot quite promise when. We have such a nice lot of raspberries but the strawberries have been very poor, it has been too dry for them.
I think very likely Jimmy will go direct to Folkestone from school, he must have been pleased to see Aunt Lottie and Uncle John on Saturday.
I have been very much in love with my roses this season, they have been certainly good, but if your companions could see them at their best instead of after being squashed in a box for many hours they might open their eyes, perhaps I may show a few at Evesham next Wednesday. I have got as far as procuring some moss.
I hope you proved a dignified “advocate” on the prize day and that it all went off nicely.
My birthday was rather marred this year by the ill result of Jack’s exam on the breakfast table but I was glad to have the good wishes of all my children.
Your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
