MS Plymouth and West Devon Area Record Office Acc No 308: 28-7-761
My dear Mary
I hoped to be able to tell you by this time that Julian was quite free and had had his discharge but though the money is paid, the forms take a long time owing to the wearisomeness of lawyers however all the real trouble is over now. I do not think it has every been in any but the Hampshire papers which had a kind little paragraph about a Gentleman much respected
Fancy poor Mr Chamberlayne suddenly becoming unable to speak distinctly.2 It is found to be paralysis of the tongue and Gull who came down yesterday to see him gives little hopes of its not encreasing, so as to prevent him from swallowing. he is about 70, a fair Church goer, and always liberal and kind to the parish in money matters
Gertrude comes to Southsea on Saturday, and I am going down to see her on Monday and take her little dog to her as she did not have him at Storrington. Arthur came home today, and I hear him playing at cricket in the field. Frances will be amused to hear that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Society got up a donkey shew. It was in the park at Broadlands at Romsey, and I went to it with Caroline Cooke Trench. There were 42 donkeys, all ranged in an oval space, chained round with their heads outwards, and a clear space in the middle, where the gentlefolks might walk about, a stand at one end where Mrs Cowper Temple dispensed prizes. About half were poor people’s donkeys, of whom 4 got the prizes, the first prize being 30/- Mrs Cowper Temple adorned the prize ones with ribbons, and they gave some thing to all the poor people who did not get a prize. The creatures were beautifully got up, and looked well groomed and handsome. When the first went up for his prize all the rest brayed a chorus, to the general amusement! The 2nd prize to a gentleman’s donkey was to a beautiful snowy white one, a lady’s at Hursley. Sir Wm Heathcote is wonderfully well, and able to do all his usual work, but he is going to Mentone again this winter. I am going to Tyntesfield on the 8th till the 18th. We have had no rain for more than a fortnight and the harvest looks most beautiful all amber fields. I was at Domum but I never saw Edmund Where will Cordelia’s home be now?3
your most affectionate
C M Yonge
How is Philip Leonard and Honor Weeks?4