MS WDRO Acc No 308: 6/11/691
My dear Mary
I enclose an order for Duke – I believe we still want another batch of each sort of the photos.2 Augusta had orders ready for all the last you sent We hope the school will be opened at Christmas and I am meaning to try to catch the Bishop to inaugurate it, if that is the right word
It is very comforting to hear of uncle Yonge being so well and I do feel very thankful for it, and I hope this two week’s rest has done you good so that you may be equal to the children, though it does wring one’s heart to think how different it is from the loving tendance that was so bright and playful with them.3 I hope Katharine and Johnnie at least will never quite forget. I was pleased to hear Augusta speak so warmly of Katharine’s having grown so good saying she thought her such a fine character now-
I saw the Bishop of Salisbury and Mrs Moberly both today at Emily Awdry’s where they are waiting till they can get in to Salisbury and he enquired much after uncle Yonge- They cannot take possession till he is enthroned, and he must do homage first, & the Queen has not appointed a day, so they are rather in difficulties.4 Moroever coming up from Brighstone he left his despatch box in the train, and in it is the sapphire ring belonging to the See – not the Wykehamist one but one belonging to the See, however as there were only ladies & children in the carriage, it seems pretty certain that it must come back. Mrs Moberly is very well, but railway journeys and long services do not agree with her, so she staid. She is dreading the new calling of strange people very much. Alice and Edith are finishing up at Brighstone poor Edith is so sorry to leave her choir boys. Her singing class are going to give her a silver card case the last day. It was another pang of recollection. I have ventured to get a few photographs printed off at Winchester from one of Duke’s- ie one where only she & I are leaving out myself- I do not know whether you would like to have any of them, or if you have a better to print from- I am afraid she never was professionally done. There is a sort of feel of crying out for her that will come over one – though one is so at peace about her, and then I come back to think of you-
You asked after Mrs James Young, she is pretty well again but looks pale. How is aunt Edmund. I have not heard of her for a long time – Our children are all in Louisa Halliday’s house at Southsea but I believe they come home on Wednesday. I hope you have not lost all your chrysanthemums this year, mine are in great beauty, and so are the Puslinch yellow autumn crocuses, which take kindly to the soil and spread, everybody wonders at them as something new. I have one bella donna too, the first year it has blown though I think it came 4 years ago- Poor Mildred Coleridge has been to Paris about her eyes, but they get little comfort, it is said to be general health and she is to be out of all excitement and not in a town, and out of doors constantly. I believe they will have to send her abroad with her old governess- very sad for her and Jane both[.] Mary is feeling Alethea Mackarnesses going very much, & it seems a horrible costly thing to get into a Bishopric- They say the enthronement cost Bp Sumner £1000, and the Archdeacon &c are trying to make it more tolerable for Bp Wilberforce I believe he will keep up no house but the one in London, but the Xmas ordination is to be at Winchester & the Oxford people to come there too if Mr Mackarness is not ready5
Good night, dear Mary
your most affectionate
C M Yonge