20 December 1889
My dear Chris
I received your nice long letter about a fortnight ago with enclosure for Edie and Coral. I have had no time for writing since as in addition to this being a busy time I have had a bad cold and Essil also – so you must excuse me for my neglect.
We shall be very glad indeed if you carry out your plan of coming home next June. It is a long time since we saw you. You will find great change in the children as they were all so small, and you will find me getting quite the old lady. You will have to look out for a good wife and take her out to Queensland should your return there be necessary – only choose nicely and well. You have waited some time and I hope will get a really good one when the time comes.
I am glad Alec is to have a run down to Melbourne. He will enjoy it I’m sure, but your Father would have liked you to have gone also as he saw so little of you last year.
Jean came to see me – it is the first time she has been here since her wedding sixteen months ago. I am glad she has come to her senses at last.
Jessie is companion to a lady who lives part of the year at Brighton. They are very wealthy people – she gets ₤50 a year and very handsome presents, but saves nothing as she is very extravagant. I don’t know what she would do if she married a poor man. She is coming here for a week at the new year.
My boys get on well at school, they are both clever. They are not very strong but I dare say will out grow that.
Coral is getting a big girl – she had her 14th birthday on the 4th. We had a small party for her. They all enjoyed it very much.
Mary seems to get on pretty well at school but she is more like a child of eleven or twelve than her own age. She will be seventeen in May (in fact only fifteen). Do you ever hear from May and Edie? – both are well and very comfortably situated being with very nice people.
Charlotte is our only Christmas guest. She says you have forgotten her, it is so long since you met. I often have her here for a day or two. She is glad of the change and company while her husband is away. He is a steward on one of the P & O boats.
Barry Lambert is Chief now on the Clyde – I suppose you have lost sight of all your old chums. Young Sansom, who went from the Sobraon into the P & O, got tired of the slowness of promotion and is now turned school man. Fortunately his mother’s school is a good opening for him. Mr Elkin is now going manager to a big music publisher ‘Enoch’ – it will just suit him.
No news yet of a wedding at Poplar. I am afraid Alice and Mr Amor will both be old and grey by the time it comes off.
You seem to have a nice collection of ladies in Croydon. I read your letter to Edie – you must pine for a little refinement sometimes. It is a hard life for you.
Now I must say good bye. I’ll not be so long in answering next time. I had a paper from you this week. ‘Our Mine’ seems to be looking up. I should like a few thousands, so hurry up and get them.
With much love, yours affectionately
Mater