Title
Ann May to Priscilla Strange 7 June 1838 Kennington 6th Mo 7th 38
My dearest P.
I am beginning my account of thy dear F. this morning, intending to give the sequel as late as can well be - we have great changes, but yesterday we were tranquil, and felt encouraged, entering a little into home concerns & plann'd for seeing Tottenham tomorrow, which even now there is some probability of but, sorry I am to say, thy poor F. has pass'd nearly a sleepless night from indescribable pain, thirst, & weariness, & yet our dear good doctor says there is no accession of fever, & now that the medicine has taken proper effect he is fallen into a comfortable sleep, so we will leave him until afternoon after saying, that on the whole, to say the least, he is no worse.
And now my dear let me assure thee of my tender sympathy in thy suffering as a nurse; if all else fails, pray get the waxen shields & powder from C.& P.'s it is a great comfort to find dear M.E. going on so well, her stays are finished all but the strings, but when I shall see her is not easy to say, for I think all the meetings must pass by before we see you, yet we venture to glance at the Q.M. my notion is, that supposing the very best, we might reach Hertford next day by coach & home in the evening & then how cheering! if dear C. & Nancy should be at our little quiet home to receive us, tho' my dear thou wilt perceive, that altho' so many of my "pleasant pictures" are spoiled or spoiling, all are not -
We have just had a second visit from Dr Hodgkin & dear Edward is to see us in the course of the day, Francis calls twice regularly, last evening his employer Edward James was with him, but that is not to prevent his taking Jane to Plymouth a few weeks hence, as far as I see it seems as tho' my sister Mary & two of her girls would be some of our earliest guests if all be well, perhaps your spare room may be in requisition, & if so, wilt thou make a merit out of necessity by inviting the girls -
Thy F. was asking me if thou sent an acknowledgement of thy aunt T.'s handsome present, if not thou couldst enclose a few lines when opportunity favors, & ditto to Sarah Holmes, now at Peckham, as well as Rachel, the latter takes the two eldest to Springfield, namesake goes to Alton - we are discouraged from hoping to see Tottenham to-morrow, but I intend writing again 1st or 2nd day - Louisa has been suffering with her head for several days, she now lies by me on the drawing room sofa asleep, while my sister & thy F. keep up a regular confabulation -
My sister Mary C. has call'd on her way to S.Fothergill's, where my sisters join her in the afternoon -
We want some of your rhubarb &c. & thy F. directs me to suggest the sending a small hamper if we have none small enough get one at C. & P.'s - fill'd with rhubarb (a specimen added of the Tobolsk) asparagus if any, pigeons if you can procure them by sending into the country, or Goodes. 2 lumps of the best butter, send on 2nd day to arrive on 3rd to arrive at {Qn} St. directed to S.M. carriage paid, if none of all this can be done, let us have a letter by post as there - Dr Hodgkinson recommends a very spare diet - he does not report much progress in our patient, conclude him better if you do not hear before next 3rd day & accept our united love to all believe me
Thy affectionate Mother.
My sister T. had a long letter from Mariana yesterday from Geneva.
May & Strange
Ampthill
P.S. Beds