[Estimated date Spring 1908]
Crown Lane
Horwich
Lancs.
Tuesday night.
My dearest Love,
I write you just before going to bed. Have just returned from Class meeting, one of the old fashioned sort which I greatly enjoy. I want my last thoughts of today to be about you, for throughout the day I have felt you to be very precious & near to me. To begin the day I had your letter; & so to give[?] a good ending to a good beginning I will write to you.
Your letter was received this morning with many thanks. I was waiting for it. It has become especially sweet & cheering to me after learning of the circumstances under which it was written. How kind of you to tire yourself to write me a cheering word. You say so little about your own condition but say all you can to cheer me. I am cheered, my dearest, by your letter, & by it I feel stronger. I feel the need of your presence so very much at a time like this. I wish you could be near me. But if there is this trouble without me, there is a peace & calm within.
But what about yourself, my dear? Hope you are alright again. I sincerely wish I could suffer as bravely as you. You are a heroine! How disappointing it would be for you not to be able to go to Cobo on Saturday. Mrs Hunkin has not removed yet?
Remember me to her, dearest. I am pleased to hear you are still enjoying fine weather. It has been better here this last week. But today it has been blowing a gale. Last Friday I felt so jaded I went for a walk to the Pike for the first time since September. I climbed the Pike, stood on the spot where you sat down for some time, with deep feelings & happy thoughts in remembering the occasion. I went about 2 miles further along the road & returned through Rivington. I felt much better after my walk.
Hope you are enjoying your reading of Carlyle's works. I envy you very much. In my little life Philosophy & Psychology are the subjects to be studied. I sometimes find them very dry. The languages of course, make a change, but if you remain very long studying them, they too become dry. You seem to have done a great deal of reading Carlyle's works of late. I am glad you enjoy such reading.
I expect by now the paper-hangers & painters have cleared out. Pleased to hear of Winifred taking part in a school concert, & doing her part so well. I think the plan decided on for the Church will be a vast improvement to the present arrangment. Do they commence immediately?
I have begun my cold baths again this last week-end. I feel it rather cold yet, but will now persevere. One feels so fresher after them.
I do wish you were near me, my love! I greatly long for your presence. I am dying to see you. How strongly my heart loves you! Of all earthly treasures you are mine! And how very precious you are to me! The thought that one day we shall be united together makes me feel very happy, & face the future with renewed strength. An old lady who is lying very ill, & who has served the Lord almost 70 years, was advising me today to be very careful who I took as a partner in life. Though I did not tell her of you, yet deep down in my heart there was the great satisfaction & assurance that I was alright in that respect. And, dear love, because of my strong assurance in this matter I renew my appeals of love & ask you to accept my warmest affections. Without you I cannot live; & with you I can be happy & content. So dearest, continue to be my true love. I thank you for your assurance of love. Oh, to awake one morning & find it is my wedding-day!! Hasten on glad day!!!
My heart's deepest & sweetest
love
From your loving fiancè
Dick.
[Estimated date: 1908]
82, Crown Lane,
Horwich,
Lancs.
Friday
My dearest Nance.
I was very pleased to receive your letter on Thursday morning. I was not only pleased to receive your letter but also pleased with your message. I had been longing to hear from you; ever since I parted from you last Saturday. I expected words of love & I was not disappointed. Your letter greatly cheered me & I feel alright again & hope such a fit of despondency may never overcome me again.
Now I am placed at my desk where I have spent a great deal of my time this week. I am compelled to write you these words instead of being with you in presence. You know, my dear love, how near my examination is & how far back I am with my work. It will take me all my time to gain a pass; but however I mean to gain one. Surely they cannot fail to see a faithful attempt, an attempt which has had many hindrances & breakdowns! I dont like begging for sympathy but I am afraid my case demands it from the Examiner this time. But, dearest, my spirits have risen greatly since I left you; & the thoughts of my approaching Examination does not depress me so much. If I can only keep in this mood I dont fear the result of exam.
As I write you now, I am compelled to think of you in your home & how, if it had not been for my pressing work, I should have been enjoying the sweetness of your company. Your company is indeed sweet to me, & I feel it so much more now because I am deprived of it. I love to hear your words, I delight to look upon your sweet face, for there my eyes behold a sweet disposition & see the indications of kindness & love. But your touch, my dearest, seems to impart your life, your sweetness, unto me. This I never felt so much as last Saturday when my pent up feelings broke lose. You touched me then, yes! you touched me! & immediately my sorrow seemed repulsed, exceedingly so, when I felt your lips placed on my brow. Oh! that I could feel your touch just now! Oh that I could press your lips to mine & feel my heart beating exceedingly rapid because of it. Yes! dearest, though this experience is not actually mine to night, yet in imagination I now pass through it. Can you imagine this my dearest -- my lips against yours, & my cheeks against yours, & my whispering into your ear the same old question Do you love me? And then I can imagine you saying very quietly in a whisper "Yes!" Dearest, my love for you to-night is very strong. And I am very sorry I cannot be with you to make it know.
You can no doubt gather from my words in this letter that I am alright again. I am very anxious to keep a strong heart & a cheerful disposition because you ask it from me. Pleased you had a nice day at Lymm & that you had a good day last Sunday. Thanks to Mrs Champ for her invitation. I should like paying them a visit very much. Perhaps we can arrange it when I come next time.
Hope Kate & Winifred are much better for their visit to Lymm. Trust you are keeping well & strong; & hope you will write me as soon as you can.
I remain
With deepest Affection
& Love
Your Loving
fiancè
xxxxxxxxxx Dick.
Crown Lane
Horwich,
Lancs.
Feby 11th /08.
My dear love,
Your loving letter to hand on Sunday morning. Because of it I was enabled to do my duties with increased joy & cheerfulness. I needed something just then to help me to get through the day's work with cheerfulness.
I trust you will always be as successful with your teas. It's a much better & easier way of raising money for Church Funds than having to sew. Something else will have to be devised in connection with my Church to keep funds straight; something on a small scale.
To hear of you having such delightful walks with Kate, etc., is pleasing. Sincerely trust you had as good & as pleasant a walk last Saturday. How delighted I shall be to be taken & shown those charming walks. They may be pleasant & beautiful now; but I am sure they will have increased beauty & charms when I find myself in them with you close by me; for to me, with you present, the beauty & charms will be twofold. To read of this, to think of this, increases my longing, which is already strong, considerably.
I am very pleased, dearest, to know you have made another addition to your number of blouses, & especially when you promise to keep it nice until I come for me to see. I shall be very glad to see you adorned in it. I shall have nothing new to show you when I come!
I trust, my love, that by now you have received an affirmative answer from Miss Catling. I am sure it will be a great pleasure & a delightful change for you to have a visit from her. You seem to be feeling happier & more settled now in Guernsey. I feel very confident that it will do you a great amount of good, especially if you get out plenty into the open air. Glad to hear you are going out more. That's what is required. It has been nice weather today. There's a touch of Spring in the air. Expect you reckon to have had your winter by now. We have March to face yet.
Sorry, & very, sorrow, to learn that Ruth has been disappointed about the position as teacher. Hope she will soon find an appointment.
Yesterday I picked up one of Harold Begbie's books "The Vigil" & almost finished it. I found it interesting. The heroine is a woman named Beatrice who loves a man named Dick, & had done so from her childhood. He takes Holy Orders & at last finds a Church or 'living' in the South West of England. He is at first afraid to approach her on matters of love, feeling keenly she is superior to him. Through some kind of misgiving he pledges himself to celibacy, which after awhile the love for Beatrice becomes a passion, but he cannot break his vow to his Church. In fact for him the Church is everything, even God; & the Churches traditions he must uphold. Beatrice tries to convince him of his wrong attitude towards the Christian life. She does her best to prove to him that God must come first, & I think she ultimately conquers in her task. Both love each other fervently; but Dick wont satisfy his love by accepting that of Beatrice, & suffers much pain; but endures it as given him by the Church. I have found it a very fine plot, & an interesting story.
I am in the wars here again. Chorley New Road is again in an uproar, so much so that I have been compelled to take strong measures, & take a very firm stand. I am in the minority, but feel quite sure I have done right. It's very distressing. I do wish my time was up so I could clear out of their midst. They're a wicked people. It almost breaks my heart; & I am having very bad nights. I would to God the grace of Jesus would enter their hearts. To make mischief & discord seems to be the end & aim of many who call themselves Christians. This cross seems almost to break me down. But I try to keep in remembrance the Cross of Christ. Pray for me my dear. I can ask only you to do so. Bear me up to God in your morning supplications, & in your evening communions.
My darling as regards my grammer & study of English I most sincerely promise you to make it the "imperative" study. You request me & I must obey for I cannot refuse. What a darling you are to have such patience with me. I feel I must often vex you with my weaknesses & failings. Trust you will see some improvement when you see me again.
How lonely I am! At present I feel to have cheerful company because writing to you. At other times I am very lonely. Mr Smith left here on Saturday afternoon & does not return until Thursday night or Friday. I am sure I would not be lonely if you were here, or even near! In God's own time I hope to find you near, as near to me as is possible. I wait for you; & more than that dearest, I live for you. I wish you were living in M/c now I would haste to see you. Let me have a letter from you early dearest heart, for I am feeling so lonely, even sometimes, friendless. The world is hard & cruel. But you are my heart's comforter, my life's joy.
Give kindest regards to all.
Yours as ever
Passionately in love.
Dick. xxxx
Crown Lane
Horwich
Lancs.
April 14th /08.
My darling Nance.
I purposed in my heart to write you yesterday, but a visit of some friends from Bolton prevented me doing so. They came in time for lunch & then we all went for a walk through Rivington Park & beyond it, some ten miles altogether, by the side of the Lakes. We had fine weather, & the ramble was very enjoyable. The greatest pleasure imaginable was ours, when we were cut off from the haunts of men & found ourselves alone -- for then the parsonic dignity was not necessary to be upheld, & we scampered about with the greatest freedom, jumping fences & running water, & any other obstacle that came in the way. Can you imagine four "parsons" doing such idiotic things? & yet it was so! And even the one who claims to be so sober, & reserved, & at the same time claims to have close relations with you, was the chiefest sinner. But it was enjoyable, & today I feel much better for it. And let me say, I am glad you did not see me, also perhaps you would have measured out to me reproach, & possibly denunciation. However, & fortunately, I am saved from that because you never saw me. And yet,
[page missing?]
This morning I have had a little reading in theology -- Denny's "The Death of Christ". I thought it might help me in my sermonic preparation for Easter.
An unexpected duty has fallen upon me. I am a delegate to District Meeting, & I find that I am one of the special preachers on that occasion, on the Sunday night. When the Handbook is published I will send you one.
Tomorrow I expect to hear the result of my examination, & therefore will wait until then, so as to be able to let you know the result. You can imagine that I am on the tip toe of expectation.
This evening's post has just brought me the news of the result of my examination & am very pleased to say I have been successful. The examiners have given me 334 marks out of a possible 400, which on an average per subject means 83½ per cent. I am well satisfied, for its an increase on last year. I am very glad another exam. has been safely passed, which leaves only two more. I shall be extremely thankful when the day of examinations has gone, for I shall then have something more real.
I am enclosing with your present, a birthday gift for Winifred, & ask you to give her my birthday kiss. She has my best wishes. Tell me a little about Winifred, my dear. She must be growing a big girl.
My heart's deepest & fullest love, to you, my darling. I do want to kiss you & be kissed by you, dearest!
I remain your faithful & loving
fiancè.
Dick
x x x x x
Ashcroft
Anstey
Leicester
August 4th /08.
My dearest love,
I have just returned from Leicester. I walked both there & back. I went to the cricket match, & found it interesting. It being a fine day there were a lot present.
This morning I felt a little disappointed because no letter came from you. I wondered why. But on my return I found your letter waiting for me. Immediately, I opened it to see if there was any reason for delay. I receive your letter my dearest with great joy, & am delighted to read its contents. It has some of Saint's Bay air in it & I am greatly refreshed by reading it. I have scarcely been in the house half an hour but your letter has been read twice already. Your letter calls to my mind those hours so pleasantly spent with you at Saints. They were happy times. I should be delighted if you went to a bay every day & would write me such a letter. Write me more of them, my dear! Hope Winifred has a pleasant holiday, I know you will do your best to make it so.
Pleased to hear you & Winnie have had such a profitable time together. I am glad she call's me Dick & I am privileged to call her Winnie. Hope she does not break down in health as you fear. I am interested to know Bert has done so remarkably well in his exam. for his Matriculation, (his M/C Mat. I mean).
I am interested to hear of your work in the Sunday School. I am sure, it must be a source of pleasure to your class to have someone to teach them the Bible as it ought to be taught. I think your idea of explaining the Bible as a whole in a general way a very good one. What step will you take next, my dear I am interested to know! May I suggest to you, if you are not already doing so, to give them the reasons why "Hebrews" was written. The historical occasion for this Epistle is very interesting & throws a great deal of light upon it. Hope your class will receive much good from studying it with you, & trust in the end much fruit will be borne.
The Rev. E. H. Smith, of Bir'ham [Birmingham] called upon me yesterday before I was out of bed. He left Bir'ham at 4.A.M. & was here at 8.o'clock having then ridden 45 miles. He stayed until 10, o'clock, then he proceeded on to Bourne to his home, which is about 40 miles from Anstey. I went with him, (By the way he was cycling.) for 2 miles beyond Melton Mowbray, & would be about 20 miles from Anstey. It was alright going, but the return journey almost killed me, for I have done just a little cycling, & the day was so terribly hot & I had to fight the wind. However I am "fit" today, & am not yet dead. Mr Smith wished to be remembered to you. Some days ago I suggested to him spending his honeymoon in Guernsey & now I think it will come off. His idea seems to be to spend a few days in St Ives, Cornwall, then proceed to Guernsey. I have partly promised to be in Guernsey when he, or they I should say, is there. Wont that be jolly if it comes off.
Already, my dearest, I have been trying to fix a time for my next visit. I have promised to go home for the New Year. Then I purpose coming shortly after my examination in March, then again in another six months after, & possibly the next time after that will be the great event. I am going to make calculations to night, financial, for that time.
Respecting your suggestion re -- Study in Grammer. I am indebted to you for this suggestion, my dear, & believe it will help me at least considerably. I shall be glad to comply with it. The Grammar which I have is Prof. Meiklejohn's. I think we may do to page 34. Of course if there are any difficulties or peculiarities arising it will be understood that we mention them adding what explanation we can to account for it. I am observing most assiduously the grammatical correction "used to" & "waiting for". They are now ever present with me. Thanks for your diligence & patience.
I have worn my new suit today & also a new tie. I look quite grand. I bought 2 ties last week, one is a grey Poplin & the other is a brow poplin. I think you would like them. Tomorrow I buy a pair of boots.
I have enjoyed Conner's "The Sky Pilot". I am expecting doing a deal of reading this winter.
Darling, I am pleased to hear your eyes are better but I should feel happier if you go to the Doctor's about them.
Excuse this paper, my dear one, for I have run out of my correspondence paper.
Dearest, I am still loving you with a full heart. & ever bear you in mind. Frequently in fond fancy I talk with you, & those happy days spent with you last month live with me once again. Do not forget to write me soon dear, sweet heart. You are my queen & the load stone of my heart.
Yours ever sincerely
With a never dying love
Dick.
P.S. I am writing out my prayers now, dearest, & intend preserving them. D.
[printed letterhead]
"Ashcroft"
Stadon Road,
Anstey,
Nr. Leicester.
January 14th. 1909.
My dear Nance,
According to my usual method I should write you tomorrow; but, feeling that all the time I can spare then will be required, I venture to write you to night before I retire to rest. I have just finished an eight mile walk against a strong wind. It's now turned eleven oclock so I shall be with you until midnight.
During the whole of my journey to night, to & from Leicester, you were uppermost in my thoughts. It was impossible for me to get away from the picture which was before my mind -- of that 'divine event' when I would be reluctant to leave the house because you were in it, & most delighted to return to it because you were waiting my return. I could not be pursuaded that this was a false picture. Instead of having to search for my slippers in a cold room & wait some time for my supper as I sometimes do now, I shall find my slippers waiting for me as well as my supper. But the greatest delight of all, my heart, will be to find you waiting. Will this be so, dearest? It is not too idealistic to be actual, sweet one? I sometimes see such a spirit shown here by one of my flock & I think it is charming. In fact it is what ought always to be!!
What do you say to this, my dear heart? I dream of other things which I dare not pen because they are so sacred. But the fullness of my heart will be revealed to you some day! Have you ever felt, my dear, that somethings are really too sacred to talk about? I often feel so, especially as regards you [double underline] I cannot always talk of you, indeed I must confess it is very, very, seldom I talk of you, & when I do it is only to my nearest friends. Your name (Nance) has become so sacred to me that when I hear it mentioned I adore it -- I hold it in reverence. If so with your name it is much more so with your very self. You are my heart's choice & my soul's ideal! What it means for me to remain apart from you I shall never be able to tell you. I often feel as if an end had come to my patience. To think of the time when I shall see you again seems to come no nearer. However shall I endure it? But, my dearest love, the inevitable is that I must wait for another three months, & so I do my best to stave off the spirit of impatience. I must brace myself up for another thirteen weeks waiting! I wait & endure!!
I have been busy noting two examination books this week & making a Lecture on "Ian Maclaren" [pen-name of Dr. John Watson -- namesake and contemporary of Annie's father] for Monday week. I have also read Geo. R. Sims'[?] book on "London by Night". It is an account of London life by night which is most horrible. What a great need for Christian Social Work is revealed in this small book!!
I am to have the Rev. W. Atkinson to stay with me for the week end. He is to preach & lecture here on Sunday & Monday respectively. Give my best regards to all. Hope you are all well.
I remain With sincerest love &
affection to you
Your loving fiancè
Dick x x x
"Ashcroft"
Anstey
Monday. [18 April 1909]
My dearest Nance
I was happily surprised when I came down for breakfast this morning to find a few parcels & letters waiting for me. Had I only known I would not have remained so long upstairs. My first joy was to open your letter & to receive one of those stirring heartfelt 'best wishes' which can only come from my beloved. Many thanks, dearest, for your best wishes of my birthday. I am now passed my 28th year! I am astounded when I think of it.
Your favourite flower I receive with joy, but especially do I take to my heart the symbol of this flower & would have its purpose carved upon my memory so as never more to be erased. Dearest, I cannot forget you! You are too rare a treasure, too precious a gift of the Supreme Power for me ever to forget you. I sometimes reprove myself for such cold expressions of my love to you. My purposes have always been high, & I sometimes wonder if they are not too idealistic. However I feel happy to possess these ideals of my love for you, though they find such poor expression. I never forget you my love!! I cherish you in my heart as God's highest gift to me. Being assured once again of your love for me I am at peace with the whole world.
I, too, long for you! Three weeks today, or if you choose to count the days I might say Twenty one days from now I shall be shortening the distance between us which has so long separated us. I cannot tell you how glad I feel that my visit is so near! It has been a long waiting!! But the vigil is almost ended!!! We still remain faithful to each other at the end of it all. Our tryst has not been broken. God forbid that it ever should. My darling! I am now happier in having you as my Betrothed than ever before. I dream dreams & see visions of very happy days for both of us. Only last night I had another dream of you. I was in Guernsey, both of us went for an outing round the cliffs, & there was a young man, who he was or where he came from I cannot tell, who proved to be a nuisance to me at least; for I wanted to have your company all to myself. Feeling very much annoyed at this incident I awoke to find it only a dream. Get all your work done my dear before I come, so we can both have plenty of time together, quite alone!!
Now to return to more mundane things, let me say how very glad I was to receive the gifts from Guernsey. They are very acceptable & must put them away for a better day. I received a pair of socks from mother; Hannah sent me a card (birthday card) with a very sweet letter. She suggests that it is quite time I got married now, as I am beginning to be an old bachelor. My bachelorhood, as far as I am concerned, is compulsory. Eh? Then I have received something which puzzles me. I have received a pair of cuff-links & I cannot tell who has sent them. The boxes in which they came, they were in two boxes, have the Guernsey name upon them. I cannot recognize the hand-writing in the address. It is a strange hand to me. Whoever can it be? this is the question which I ask myself, but I cannot receive an answer. Can you enlighten me my dear, seeing it has come from Guernsey?
I am glad to hear Mildred is improving. Hope she will soon be quite better & strong again. Glad to hear of the enjoyable time you have had during Mr & Mrs Gerrard's visit.
Now I must bring what is now appearing to be a long letter to a close. I am beginning to plan for my journey south, in doing extra Circuit work, etc.. Hope you are well, my dear! I send my heart's deepest love.
Your ever faithful & loving fiance
Dick xxx
[printed letterhead]
"Ashcroft"
Stadon Road
Nr. Leicester.
May 6th 1909.
My dearest Nance
Now I reckon this to be the last letter to you for a few weeks. As I write it I am quite excited & as a consequence I am not writing at my best. Is it not jolly to find, at last, that I leave here on Monday? On Monday I am to label myself for Guernsey, & trust you will be at the boat to receive me. After a weary & prolonged waiting I am to see you early on Tuesday morning, all being well. What relief this prospect gives me! I have never felt so delighted with the prospect of seeing you & all the others before! My anticipations give me abounding pleasure. Especially, now, do I feel how much you are of my life. In all seriousness & truth can I say "Without thee I cannot live". You are my heart's dearest treasure, my life's greatest joy!! Thoughts & feelings are mine now which will never be made known. My imagination is very active at present respecting coming days. Hope we shall have fine weather, & yet, if it likes to rain it can; what does it matter? I shall be with you, & that's all I want! My one desire is to be with you.
I intend leaving here about 10 o'clock on Monday morning, have dinner in London, & then proceed to Southampton & have a look round the town; unless Mr Bullough can get me into the Commons during a debate, then I will remain in London until night. I shall sail from Southampton.
On Tuesday night I went to hear "Elijah" rendered. I enjoyed it very much. Mrs Willett went with me & we had their trap to drive us home.
What delightful weather we are having here. The sky for the last four days has been cloudless, but a fairly strong wind is blowing.
My dearest, I am in a state of mind now when I cannot do any work. I have got the holiday fever very bad. I shall be glad to leave here for a few weeks by way of a change. I hope to be in a fit condition to walk to "Sunrise" & trust you will be able to recognize me after a night's tossing. I don't mind the tossing if I only land safely.
Well, my dear, I hope you are well after your very busy time. I trust you are all well. Kindest regards to all.
Love to you
Your fond lover
Dick.
P.S. Hope to see you on Tuesday. Hurrah! Dick.
Gladstone St,
Anstey,
Leicester,
England.
Augt. 16th /09.
My darling Nan.
I am very pleased to acknowledge receiving two p. p. cards from you. Glad to hear you arrived safely & well after your very long journey. I expect you were all very thankful when you arrived at Hôtel Beau-Site. It seems a charming spot where you have made your headquarters. But I expect they are all grand places! It would be a great delight for me to have a little time with you after your return so as to have your impressions & thoughts of such a fairyland. You make me long to pay a visit to such a place. I do hope such will be possible later on. I enjoy your brief accounts of the country; & after reading them it leaves me 'wanting more'. Perhaps you will be able to give me a fuller description of the place when you return home. I hope this will be possible. You must have a really good holiday this year. I am often wishing to be with you. But the next long holiday after this one I hope to be present with you. Then we shall certainly have a good time.
I was very pleased to spend a little time with you in London. Of course, the circumstances or rather the conditions were not favourable or congenial for lovers. I wanted to tell you many things, but we parted & many things went untold. Still I enjoyed very much being with you, if only to have a glimpse of you once again. I felt terribly lonely as the train took you from me. I was left alone, & for a time I began to wonder if what had transpired were not only a dream. But the busy life around me soon assured me that it was an actual thing -- I had been with you, & that you had left me. So I went for my bag & proceeded practically unseen across to Marylebone in the tube & after a little refreshment took train for Leicester at 10 o'clock. I had to walk from Leicester to Ansty arriving home about 1.45 A.M. I was in a hurry to leave London after you left it.
We have had some terribly warm & oppressive weather here, & it continues very oppressive. Yesterday morning before any people were in the Church at Ansty we had 70 degrees; & last night it was 80 degrees notwithstanding that all doors & windows were thrown open. I only preached 20 minutes, the people looked so uncomfortably hot & I was finding it very warm work to speak, so the service was short. Yet, my darling, I am enjoying this warm weather. It would be ideal if the sea were only near; or if Guernsey could be transposed to here.
I wish you & Kate could come for a few days to Anstey on your return journey. It would be so grand to see you here, & you would enjoy the beautiful country. Would it be of any use pressing for you to come? You would find a very ready & glad welcome to Anstey.
Since our little talk last Tuesday I cannot possibly see how I can wait any longer than Xmas for visiting you again. I really must come then or about then. It will be grand to be with you once more in mid-winter. It would cheer one's solitude. More of this later when the time draws nearer.
Now I send you every good wish for a most profitable holiday. Kind regards to Kate Winifred & Miss M.. [Mumford?]
Hope you are keeping very well.
I remain
With sincerest love
Dick xxx
[Est. date: 31 August 1909]
"Hawarden Villa"
Anstey
Leicester.
Tuesday.
My darling Nan:
At last I have heard from you. How I have longed & waited for your letter! The intervening three weeks between your last letter & this one have been very long. I feel amply repaid for waiting for your letter is of the greatest possible interest to me. I am so glad to have such a sweet letter; & it is full of news of the deepest interest.
I am so glad to have your account
of your stay in Switzerland. Your discription of that beautiful
country appeals to me very strongly, & now I feel there will
be no satisfying me but to see the country for myself. Perhaps,
when I go you will act as my guide. Will you my love? But remember,
dearest, you must act differently to guide Martindale. I am much
amused of your account of Rev Martindale. It was well you had
a knowledge of French, it would put you very much at ease. Keep
up your French, my darling, for I want to take you to France for
a few holidays; & it will certainly be required next July.
I am highly pleased to know my little birthday gift is very suitable.
How dear you are to reserve it for next summer when we go holidaying
together. I much feared it would be too large for you. I hope
this is not so! One thing is sure about it, it will serve well.
How delightful to hear your account of your list of presents.
Winnie, evidently, has had thoughts of your future home. Kate's
is a very sensible gift, for whatever else we shall need, we must
have something to eat.
My dearest, I had a delightful dream last night. We were actually married. But very strange we walked from the Church after the ceremony arm in arm, & the whole of the guests following behind in a procession. But what gave me most trouble was the fact that when we got into the house, where it was I cannot tell, I wanted to kiss you & you refused me. This wounded me terribly. Then I suddenly awoke to find the sun shining brilliantly into my room. Now I find I am still without you; I remain single.
Darling, I cannot tell you how much I anticipate our wedding. It is beyond me to explain. Thoughts of it are with me always. I often wish for your presence so as to be able to talk about it. Since last Wednesday I have lost all sympathy with the single life. I have loved you for a long time now & I want to marry you. I sometimes think the rest of the time will pass quickly, at other times I look upon the time as too long for contemplation. But it is much nearer, my dearest, is it not? I feel we are entering upon the winter now; & summer will soon be here again. How sweet a thought! How delightful to feel it so near! I am coming to see you early next year. I feel it imperative to be here for Xmas, for Xmas week is always a special week here. I will not be able to be present at the Bazaar next Easter, because my Examination is held in Easter week. It wont be right to be away from my Church both at Xmas & Easter, so I feel compelled to remain here for Xmas. At present I purpose to leave here for the Islands on Monday January 3rd. Hope this will be agreeable. I could come earlier if preferred, say about the 2nd week in December. What do you prefer, my love?
I am busy writing an essay at present on the life of Dr. George Matheson for the Ministerial Ass. to be held in October. I have been a little out of sorts for the last week; but now I am feeling much myself again.
I take it for granted, my love, that you are quite well & much better for your holiday. You dont say if you are. However, I must take it that "silence gives consent."
I heard from home this morning & Father & Mother wish to be remembered to you. Grandmother has had an accident. She has slipped & hurt her foot; & now compelled to lay herself up. I hope she will soon be better. All being well, I believe she receives her pension next month, that is in September. It will be a great help to her.
Now, my sweet heart, I must stay my hand for dinner is ready. I shall be glad to hear from you very soon. At present, my deepest & sincerest love is yours & will always be yours.
Yours affectionately
Dick.
P.S. Do you mind me calling you Nan? I like it much better now, & shall be glad if you would grant me this fancy. Dick.