[From Elizabeth Pyne. née Waters, and her husband, the Rev.Thomas Pyne,
attending a Peace & Temperance Festival, at Hartwell, Buckinghamshire,
to their servant, Philly.]
Hartwell House,
Near Aylesbury
August 24th 1864
My good Philly.
We arrived here safely last night at 10 minutes before ten. after a very pleasant journey. It rained for the first 4 hours more or less : but after our stop at Uxbridge, where we were very glad of the nice sandwiches & pudding, we set off at 1. and a quarter to Amersham & arrived there at 4 and drank tea & stayed till 6. Then on to Hartwell : and there had been no rain there & this morning is very fine.
I hope things are all well at home, and our darling little pets we know are kindly & lovingly taken care of. We long to see them. But I trust our brief absence will be a benefit to us both, especially to my dear Wife.
I will write again tomorrow, and tell you when to expect us.
With blessings on our little lambs and on all in our home.
Your faithful friend & Master
Thos. Pyne
I forgot to tell Eliza — I generally keep Baby in the bath about two minutes. & rub him well afterwards with a towel. – & Eliza can take him out a clean quilt for his bassinet – I do hope Baby is safe. I kept awake a long while last night thinking of all the accidents that might happen to him but I am quite sure Eliza will take care of him, she is so kind. —