May to David Beckenham 10.7.18
My dear David,
I forgot to mention in my last letter that it looks as though your cousin will have to join up. I hope so. The Board he is working for say they do not think the work he is doing is of sufficient national importance to get him exemption! In spite of his many fancied ailments he has passed A1. It is funny.
Mrs Maconachie writes me as under –
“Thanks so much for letting us see of the photo of Mr Taylor with his platoon. We think it is very nice of him. He looks thin & must be longing for the day when he can have all the fondling he must expect will be given him”!
What about hiring a polar bear? I fancy they can do some hugging.
I have just written the following letter, and it reminds me of Gilbert & Sullivan:-
“We approve the recommendations of the Sub-Sub-Sub-Committee going forward to the Emergency Sub-Committee as the recommendations of the Emergency Sub-Sub-Committee.” (The dictator is still at large).
This morning, wishful of doing some shopping, I caught the early mainline train, but did not like the journey at all as I could not get a compartment to myself. Am I not an island? I have missed the solitude all the morning. I won’t be early again.
I have finished reading “The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne”, a queer sort of book, but it does not come up to Aristide Pujol which seems to be Locke’s best.
I think out station is finished, and now the roads are being done up. We shall be smart.
To-day it is raining for which I am pleased. We want rain badly. We have received a letter from Mrs Matthews at Brighton, and a very amusing letter it is. We have all had a go at understanding it, and have come to the conclusion that she has left out a lot, but that she is intensely happy and feeling a lady of the first water.
I am now working on my second pair of socks for the bazaar.
Ethel starts her fortnights holiday on Saturday, but so far is not going away except for the middle weekend when she will be staying with some folks in north London, so I have written to Mrs Taylor to tell her I am free this weekend.
Can’t think of anything else to say. Still working late, and making my fortune. Just one more kiss. That will do. Thanks.
May