May to David Beckenham 14th May 1918
My dear David,
I am an idiot. Last week I meant to have wished you very many happier and still happier returns of your birthday, and now when you get this I expect your birthday will be over. Never mind, I guess your next birthday will be spent with me. I wonder what we shall be doing. Specks we shall manage to enjoy ourselves somehow.
Last night as promised I went to Balham, had supper, and then went up to practice while you gazed at me from your photo. I made any amount of mistakes, but you never so much as scowled at me; maybe pure indifference! While murdering some of those pieces out of the Star albums Mrs Day returned unexpectedly. Her son-in-law came back unexpectedly, so she came home, not knowing that I should be at Balham. During the evening your postcard of 8th April arrived saying you had received one boot. We are delighted, as by now you have no doubt received the fellow one. There was nothing else in the parcel beside the boot. There is still another pair on the way to you by now, so that you will be set up again.
I have taken that building book out of your bookcase and in the tram was looking it through. The diagrams made me think of Bert when he was at school boy glancing at his homework. It so often made him say “I’m sure I can’t do this stuff unless I am sitting on your lap.” He worked his sums out best with his right arm round my neck very frequently.
The work is slackening down alright now, so that I shall be able to start my fortnight’s holiday at the end of this week.
Mrs Taylor is writing today to Mrs Capel promising to go to her for Whitsun, and she says she might take me down there a fortnight later for a very long weekend.
Miss Willsher called in this afternoon about our next Saturday’s outing. The place is Little Kimble, Bucks, 45 miles away. Leave Paddington 1.0 return there 9.17. That day we will arrange an outing on our own for Whit Monday. Looks like having an enjoyable fortnight.
You ask for leather laces to be sent to you, but they are amongst the list of forbidden things. You have some mohair laces sent you.
15th May
Last night a letter came from Uncle for me and in it he said “Do you ever hear from David Taylor. The next time any of you write we shall be glad to know how he is doing.”…”Glad you bazaar was such a success. You are as energetic in a good cause as ever, and you are apparently going to have your reward in this life. It is my heartfelt wish that you may live long in the country of unclad blacks before you have to die and leave them all behind.” Isn’t he cheeky – like you. You see I had told him about our Palmist.
This morning Batsfords wrote to say that they had at last got the permit for the book on the Metric System and Dutton’s shorthand, and that the 2 books had been despatched.
Weather is much warmer today, but cloudy.
No more news, so Goodbye.
May
PS Of course you will have your present when you return.