28.09.1915 Rouen
My Dearest Mother
The Times has just slipped from my nerveless grasp: it is almost too good to be true. I have just seen the obituary notice of Keir Hardie. What a fitting accompaniment to the other good news in the papers. I do hope these victories will quickly be followed by others.
We are having the vilest weather just now: cold and raw with torrents of rain. The whole of Rouen is paved with large granite setts and I never knew such things for holding puddles !!
I wish you’d send me Aunt Jane’s thrilling letter: I will be sure to return it. I had a letter from Mary Gold who has got safely home. Poor thing she was sick for 26 days running: it was partly because she has got a baby coming : I don’t know when. She told me several bits about the Zep raid.
By the by will you buy me six new pairs of black cashmere stockings size 10 and send them out. I generally give about 2/6 fr them. Will you deduct the amount from my next quarter’s allowance.
Please beg Father to let me have £10 a quarter instead of my usual. I honestly don’t want it out here, and in these hard times it is ever so much better to save it. I should be so much happier if he would – I am still very busy as my own special boss, after being away on leave for 10 days, after his return only stayed one day and has been sent off to do another 10 days relief work, after which he will return and everything will be as before, I hope. While he was away on his holiday I had to take 3 radiographies all by myself as I’m the only one who understands the installation. Two of them I had a doctor watching me , but the third there was no one but myself and the bird (Mrs Garrard) and the boy who always helps me to things and develops them afterwards. The photos were a roaring success, my own boss Dr Stouffs, who usually takes all the X ray photos (radiographies), congratulated me on my good plates. By the by will you buy me 3 pairs of white woollen gloves and send them out and also look out any other decent pairs I have in my top left hand drawer. They and the stockings can come out together.
I fear I am somewhat to blame about Doris Brampton as I had a letter from her saying she was staying at Skegness and if I were in her direction I was to go and look her up. She was staying with her people at the Seaview Hotel for the golf. I never had time somehow for answering her letter. I hardly have time to write anywhere but to you and Father. You see when one goes on from 8.30 to 5 with only a short break for lunch, one feels disinclined for letter writing somehow. I always want to go out.
Thank you so much for sending me the photos of Elsie and the boys to look at. I have gratefully kept the trio you said I might. I wish Jack looked a little more robust: it seems as if a puff of wind would blow him away. Michael looks more sturdy. I’ll send them back most carefully.
I’m sorry to hear that old ET is playing up so fearfully, on what must be her death bed. However the news about Lance must be cheering to her. What a good thing that young “Miss” has a got a more suitable attachment. It is awfully good of Mr Chalke to try again for the Army, as his health is certainly very uncertain. Is young Birkett (Freddy) still sitting shivering with cold feet ?
Talking of shivering , it is beginning to be very chilly just now, especially going along the quays at 7.45 !!
You would laugh if you could see our garden. It is 3 Michaelmas daisy plants, in pots: we hae bought them from a nursery garden and they are all flowering and looking nice: two finished geranium plants, one pot of cuttings that I’ve taken, one hart’s tongue fern I dug out of the woods at Grival, and one dying lily plant.
Tim is an awfully keen gardener and we so love looking after them.
Thank you so much for all the Indian letters: I enjoyed them immensely. I’ll send them back tomorrow: I haven’t a thick envelope here, they’re all at the flat. Please tell Father I’m quite all right for funds.
I am so glad to hear thar you have got a cook if only of “sorts”.
I’m so glad my sweet peas have been good: I wish I could have seen them.
Tell Father I’m shocked to hear of his doings at Saleby! Shooting I mean!!!
The boats have been coming most regularly lately so that’s a pure canard !
I must dry up now, or I shall miss the mail.
Best love to you both
Your Loving Dorothy.
About Alford 