TRANSCRIPTION:
Wanganui
Sept 6th
My dear Edith
I think I had better write to you to-night for there is no telling when I will be able to do so again the mails are not going so often just now. We have been to Church at St Andrew to-night, the congregation down there is very large just now & not like it used to be. Muriel spent last night here & stayed all day today, she went to town to church. I hope you are satisfied about her now, it seemed a pity you had to be the last in knowing it. We are all very pleased Edith, Mrs Canley & Mrs Wolff like your uncle exceedingly.
I have been to class to-day as usual. Vera goes almost every Sunday now, she has some friends who go & that makes a difference. Helen Macdonald is engaged to Maggie Rosses [Ross’] brother if this is of interest to you. I gave your love to Miss Davey, she often asks after you. I was pleased to get a letter from you some weeks ago. I hardly know anything about you now, as I do not often see anything of your family. I was up one day lately, but Thea was the only one home. She looks very much like you did when you were thirteen.
I stayed a night at your grandmothers about a week ago, your mother & father were there to tea. Miss Gilbertson is so nice & kind to your grandma & Muriel. Your mother was here one day lately too, but I did not see much of her, as Mrs Caldev [?] was here & I looked after her baby.
I wonder if you will get this letter, I wonder how things will be in about five weeks time when you will receive this I suppose. We hardly talk of anything but the war, & are thinking of it all the time.
Muriel spoke of writing you a few lines to-night I wonder if she will
I am thinking of going to see Dolly to-morrow if I can.
Ella & her mother & father have gone to Sydney, I don’t know how long they will stay. You will be glad to have your Uncle, Aunt & cousins over there. I can imagine how many questions you would ask them about everything & everybody. I suppose everyone will find it hard to get back & will have to stay where they are for the present. Fancy you going back to Mrs Proctors [?]. We read in the paper last night that Mrs Robert Taylor is dead, we did not even know that she had been ill, almost all the family were ill at once, she had pneumonia.
Helen Robinson is engaged to Mr Todd, we see quite a lot of the Robinson girls just now. I’m getting so cold & the others have gone to bed, my hands & feet are feeling it most. How late it gets when you start to write letters. I am not any better at writing than You & I would do anything rather than write a letter. I hardly know what to say after this long silence & by the time you come home I will be too shy to speak to you. I’m very glad you have made some nice friends & are getting on well. I heard this from your mother.
Olive still has her class, she is fatter than she used to be, & weighed more than I did at one time last summer, she still talks to Muriel long into the night. Especially one night several weeks ago.
Well I must go to bed now as I want to get up early in the morning. I’m sure the others would send their love if they were up.
Olive is writing a little note to you. I am first going out to post this. Mother sends her love to you. With lots of love from your friend
Minna