Juliana Horatia Ewing And Her Books Part 35

But I have had a lot of hearty laughs over "the Heroine"! It is very funny--if not _very_ refined. Some of the situations admirable. There is something in the girl's calling her father "Wilkinson" all the way through--quite as comic as anything in _Vice Versa_--a book which I never managed to get to the end of.

I hope your wedding went well to-day. My sister's--is postponed till the 28th--for the convenience of the best man. If _by Thursday_ (you must be a full two days' post from a Yorks.h.i.+re country place) the Master had _one or two_ Bouquet D'Or or other white or yellow roses not very fully blown--and your handy Meta would wind wet rags about their stalks and put them in an empty coffee-tin and despatch them by parcels post to Miss Gatty, Ecclesfield Vicarage, Sheffield, Yorks, they would be greatly welcomed to eke out the white decorations of my Mother's grave for the wedding-day. I am wildly watering my Paris Daisies--and hope to get some wild Ox-eye daisies also--as her name was Margaret (and her pet name Meta!). I am applying prayers and slopwater in equal proportions--like any Kelt!--to my Bouquet D'Or and other white and yellow roses! I shall have some double white Canterbury Bells, etc.--but there is coming a _lull_ in the flowers, and they won't re-bloom much till we have rain.

Please give my love to all your party, not forgetting the house dove and the dog--

I reproach my Rufus with his tricks and talents!

I have had great benefit in a fit of neuralgia from your chili paste.

Yours, dear Mrs. Going, Sincerely and affectionately, JULIANA HORATIA EWING.

TO MRS. JELF.

November 3, 1884.

DEAREST MARNY,

Enclosed is "Daddy Darwin"--for Richard!--and two of the Verse Books for the two dear Queers I had so many luncheons with!

You know I risked printing 20,000 D.D.D. on my own book to cheapen printing--so you'll be glad to hear that after ordering 10,000 at the beginning of last week--S.P.C.K. have ordered another 10,000 at the end of it!! But I've been having _such_ "times" with the printers' and publishers' daemons!!

I must not write, however, for I have been ill also!! A throat attack.

We were afraid of diphtheria--but if it were that I should not be writing to you as you'll guess. There has been another outbreak of it just round us, and a good many throats of sorts in its train, but Dr.

L---- does not seem to think mine due to much more than exhaustion--and he seemed to think nursing the dog had not been very good for me. He says distemper is typhoid fever!

We had a very jolly little visit from Colonel C----. He was at his _very_ funniest. Mimicked us both to our faces till we yelled again!

As Rex said--"Not a bit altered! The old man! _Would any other play the bones about his bedroom in his night-s.h.i.+rt?_"

He went off waving farewells and shouting--"We'll _both_ come next time--and rouse ye well."

Your loving, J.H.E.

Sat.u.r.day.

DEAREST MARNY,

You have indeed the sympathy of my whole heart!

G.o.d bless and prosper "Old Father" on the war-path and bring him home to his Queers and to you full of honour and glory and interesting experiences!

I know Mr. Anstruther--he is charming. I cannot say how I think it softens one's fears if Richard's strength were still a bit unequal to the strain--to know that he has such a subaltern--adjutant--and C.R.E.

He could not have gone arm-in-arm with better comrades--unless the Giant had been ready as sick-nurse in case of need!

But I do feel for you, dear--you are very gallant.

I am not fit to write yet--my head _goes_ so--but I will write you next week about Gordon Browne (a thousand thanks!) and see if _I_ possibly could. Thank you so much.

The drummer's letter is charming. I must copy the bit about tip-toe for Sir Evelyn Wood! I got the enclosed from him--also from Wady Halfa--and I wanted you and R---- to hear the weird drum-band drunkard tale! and see how he likes "Soldier's Children."

Can you kindly return it, dear?

Your most loving, J.H.E.

[_In pencil._]

Where does R---- sail from?

I see by to-day's _Times_ the others have sailed from Dartmouth. My dear Marny--can't you and R---- come here _en route_ if only for a night? It _would_ be so nice! It would be such a pleasure to Rex and me to G.o.dspeed him--and he would feel _quite like Gladstone_ if he had an ovation at every stopping point on the Flying Dutchman!

TO COLONEL JELF.

November 18, 1884.

DEAR RICHARD,

I wish you _could_ have paused here--I wish that you were even likely to run through Taunton station in the Flying Dutchman, and that we could have run down to head a cheer for you!--But Gravesend is handier for Marny.

She's a real Briton--and it is that "undaunted mettle" that does "compose" the sinews of "peace with honour" for a country as well as war!

Indeed I'm glad you have your chance--or make a very respectable a.s.sumption of that _virtus_! and I take leave to be doubly glad that it is in a fine climate and with good shoulder to shoulder comrades.

Tell Marny, Colonel Y. B---- in a letter about "Daddy Darwin" is very sympathetic. Another "old standard"--Jelf, he says--is going, and "Mrs. J---- puts a good face on it."

What will the theatricals and the Inst.i.tute do?--

"Do without," I suppose! I am a lot better the last two days--and struggled off to the town to-day to a missionary meeting! It was a most unusually interesting one about the South American Missions. I must tell Marny about it.--However--at some tea afterwards, I was "interviewed" by one or two people--and one lady asked to introduce a "Major"--whose name I did not catch--as being so devoted to "Soldier's Children." I created quite a sensation by saying that "Old Father" was ordered to Bechua.n.a.land--"Oh, how old are the Queers? Are they really losing Old Father again so soon?"

I feel, by the bye, that it is part of that fatality which besets you and me, that I should have stereotyped you in printers' ink as _Old_ Father!!!

Good-bye.--G.o.dspeed and Good luck to you.

Your affectionate old friend, J.H.E.

TO THE REV. J. GOING.

December 3, 1884.

DEAR "HEAD GARDENER,"

I think there is a blessing on all your benevolences to me which defies ill luck!