[Thomas Waters, R.M., to his wife, Elizabeth]
Addressed to Mrs Waters, King Street, Woolwich, Kent
Newark 6 Oct. 1836
My Dearest Love,
It always delights me to hear from you, I hope your health keeps good, many many a return of September to you and ever happy may it be – 5th Sept. I was up by 4 oClock in the morning walk to Lincoln a distance of 16 miles and was there by 8 oClock in the morning before my Sergeant at that place was up, I was wet through before I got half way, as it began to rain soon after I started, but it cleared up afterwards and I dryed myself in the open before and after I got to Lincoln, I took care not to get near the fire in my wet clothes, and therefore I took no hurt, neither did I sit long in them, except just to get my breakfast, and after staying about two hours & half to view the place I walked home where I arrived ready for my dinner at 3 oClock. Lincoln is not in my opinion a grand looking place the streets are narrow and one or two very steep, there is one long wide street but nothing showy, the Cathedral, or as it is called the Minster, is beautiful, it has three towers, its architecture is superb but suffering very much from a want of keeping it in repair, but a small part of the noble building is fitted up with seats for divine Worship and these are stalls, one side facing the other, as if intended only for the sacred order, the service seemed to me to be performed in a very dull droning manner, a great deal of chanting; the frieze work and some of the windows of colored glass are beautiful- You must not expect to hear from Joseph these many a month, it is exceedingly
gratifying to here [hear] him so well spoken of- I do not wonder at the children’s want of patience in picking over the last corn I bought, I was almost in want of it myself it was such tedious work to pick out the cleaver seed- I suppose it will be as well for you to buy a sack of flour for general use, and a sack, or half a sack of corn for occasional grinding for brown bread now and then, it is better, I think, than buying brown flour or brown bread, for I think it is more wholesome, perhaps Beng will tell you where to get some good clean wheat- I hope the Mill and dressing machine are are kept close shut, and that the Rats and mice are kept well away, the Pigeons should also, now, be kept out of the stable, a couple of nails should be drove in above the stable window, and a cloth hang loose down from them, by that means the cat will still be able to go out, and the pigeons not be able to get in. I think, my Love, it will be increasing the expence to send my socks home to be mended as you recommend, but if you would come down and mend them the expence would be well made up to me in the Happiness of your society, which of all treasures is the only treasure I covet, and all my aim is to make you and family happy, for that I can endure almost any privations, except your sweet self, which would be death to me- Mr. Hudson’s decease surprised me very much, truly in the midst of life we are almost in death, another evidence that long life is not always to the strong and prosperous, nor my sweet Love is a short life always attendant on the weakly in appearance, may the Almighty’s blessing ever attend you my Love- I suppose the boys have begun another Quarter’s schooling with Mr. Barry, therefore we may as well go through it, and by the end perhaps Mr. Lafargue or Mr. Mc Arthur may be able to ascertain the capabilities of the new schoolmaster. his charge, provided it is at all within our power, ought not to be an objection in an affair of so much consequence, it is the ability and attention that is to be considered, but I do not approve of quarter’s notices, I think them quite inconvenient, and object to them accordingly, Parents will not withdraw their children from school without good and sufficient reason; I should not think of waiting for Mr. Barry’s turning the boys away, if I thought I could suit myself to my satisfaction; I have sent you a letter for Mr. Mc Arthur it is neither dated nor directed therefore you can send it any time, the latter end of this, or the beginning of next month or not at all, just as you may think proper. I merely give my thoughts as they occur, in the same way I wish you to do by yours to me, it would be great folly for me to dictate to you at such a distance, it is better for you who see things as they are on the spot, to act according to circumstances; or you can at any-time write a note to him yourself if you choose.
Corp1. Paine, who delivers this Letter, take up four Recruits for Head Quarters- I remain
My Dearest Love yours most Affectionately
Thos. Waters