Badsey
Evesham
Feb 7/99
My Dear Ethel,
It is just as well Anna paid her visit with Mary on Saturday as now, with the advent of a little nephew on Monday, she is keeping house for Fanny, there was a post card announcing the event this morning and when I sent it up by Cyril he ran into the room saying Mother you’re a great-aunt.
I expect you enjoyed a little sight seeing on Saturday and it was fortunately fairly fine, we had a miserable day on Sunday. I daresay you will soon get a little higher in form, you could not expect to be far up just at first.
We had another quite good letter from Jimmy he really is becoming a good correspondent, he could not give us his form place as it was not given out till Monday, he said they had made some slides in the playground by putting water down overnight.
Arthur had some more skating at Brecon, I presume on flooded ground, tell Kathleen he says he is getting on with his mathematics, is now doing Conic Sections and will soon begin Statics, he was very glad to find you had been moved up in form.
You have one hen sitting on dorking eggs and there is another broody as soon as we can get another sitting, Walton has had one lot lately, the recent cold has I think rather lessened their quantity of eggs, there were 99 in January.
I have not been able to do anything in the garden as yet since the holidays, it is generally wet if I am at home, however the days are now getting longer and perhaps it will soon be drier. I must send you a few newspaper cuttings.
The death of Prince Alfred of Coburg seemed sudden. Kathleen must take note that Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman succeeds Sir W. Vernon Harcourt as leader of the Radicals in the house of Commons.
I seem rather short of news so must conclude.
Love from us all
your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
