9 Glebe Street
Nottingham
England
Tuesday morning
March 5th 1901
My dearest Cousin Ted
How pleased I was to receive your very welcome letter yesterday afternoon. It went down home to Glebe
Street 'if course & mother re-directed it to me here. I have put the same home address again at the top then
you won't get muddled with addresses etc. I'm going to write you some every few days like a diary coz you
see it's such a long way to send a short note and nothing seems to happen just now, so there is nothing to
write about.
It is like the jolly month of March and it blows like blazes, talk about coming in like a lion and going out
like a lamb, its come in this time like a jungle full of lions and it's something shameful the way it's blown
my mane about. It is so bad that it has moved me to tears! & Poetry-this is it
1. Hattie had a head of hair
2. Her mother's joy, her dad's despair
3. Comb it how and when you would
4. It bang upright most stubborn stood
5. One day in March in sheer despair
She went and pawned her head of hair
With these remarks I'll say "Bye- Bye" for the present-am going down home for T today so I shall be able
to tell them all how you are "Sagaciating" that means ~ getting on you know.
Friday dinnertime 1.50 March 8th
How are ye Dearest Tedums? I went home as I said and everybody was delighted to hear about you. Ted's
eyes did sparkle like a match going off when I read to him about sweeping the Boers (they ought to be
called Bores) out of existence.
You ask how I like housekeeping- but you see we are not at housekeeping, worse luck, we board with those Hallam people. Eddie's partner, you know and a right down mucky place it is. Please excuse the strong language, it is not half as strong as the dirt and dustiness if our "diggings" of course our sitting room is very nice as I see to it myself & the bedroom is a nest of cosiness & greatness. I do everything in those two rooms-but we live down stairs with them. It is a regular -Ugh -
Here I shrug my shoulders, as there is nothing else to do. This is not the worst of it for things keep turning
up in the business, which makes us doubt their honesty .However we shall see how things turn out. And
now no more disagreeables or I shall be giving you the "blues" again or else the "greens or yellows"& that
would be truly "hawful"( of course I know how to spell "awful" but it certainly looks more awful with an h
in the front doesn't it).
They were getting on with the electric tramway business when you were over, were they not? Well the
electric cars are running now up Sherwood Rise. Sis's way you know & I went on with a girl friend the
other night. They are splendid cars, lighted up with electricity of course. We went on the top & sat plump in front so no one else was on top. The sensation was lovely-it was the next best thing to flying. It seemed so jolly to go rushing through air so quickly. The wind was something "horful" it made me quite intoxicated so
I began to yell out at the top of my voice RR -r-r-r-r-r. Oh dear, it didn't sound like it looks you know- put
your tongue at the top of your mouth & rumble it out. The conductor came up for the fare while we were
laughing & making a noise. He said "Are ye airing your orgins Miss" & I said "No only letting off a sparkle or two of electricity" Of course dear Ted you won't be particular to a fib or two will you?
I must say Goodbye for a little, my chicka-biddies are wanting one. Take care of your little self. x That is a kiss on your hand-not on your lips, mind. I dare not be so cheeky.
Tuesday March 12th
I feel I must write a bit today because it is my birthday d'ye see? Thanks I've just pretended you were
saying "Many Happy Returns Hat" Yes! My dear bhoy I'm fifty free today. I do wish I felt firty-free- I don't suppose I shall feel a bit old till I wake up some fine March morning and find myself fifty-free. I had a letter from dear Aunt Harriet at Blyth this morning. I shall give her an extra squeeze for remembering me, when I see her. I went down home & had some birthday pudding at dinner & I am going down again for T. Min and the 2 babies were there. Joe's little girl Dorrie has had an operation on her throat, tonsils or something, last Thursday it was but she is getting on nicely now I think.
Well dear Ted I know you will be sorry to hear that our suspicions about Eddie's partner were quite correct.
He sent down 12 chairs To Hardstaffs, received the money One pound 16shillings & only entered 6 chairs 18/-. And that is not the only instance Eddie saw the lawyer & he would like him to prosecute but I persuaded him not to do so. Of course Mr H denied it at first but he admitted it afterwards. He did cry, it made me feel awful. Of course Eddie could never trust him again. He told him he would let the matter drop, if he would pay him out of the business. Eddie gave him 100 pounds (all of it my hard earned money) to take him in partnership. He has been with him 3 months & received 17pound in wages during that time. 25/- per week. He's going to sink that because Mr H pretends he has not earned 25/- per week. So now he will have nothing to thank him for & we are looking out for a house of our own.
Now you know all about everything. I must not forget to tell you Eddie took him to the lawyer and had
everything properly settled about paying the money. I don't think there would have been much chance for
us getting it if he had not, do you?
No more disagreeables. Did you get the newspaper I sent you? I do want to write to your dear mother but I
am so shy-d'ye see she don't know little Hattie. Would she think I was cheeky? Oh dear it is turning so dark & only just half past three-my chicka biddies are having their playtime in the yard. It is about time they came in so now I must stop with another little x on your other little hand-
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