From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin [6 May 1893]

. . . Kitty's foot is quite insensible to electricity & a contraction at the knee wh. makes her lame— A. V. D. is frantic to get something done like a real universal petition. Laura is brisk & full of business & overjoyed to find that her squirrels have not forgotten her— She met M^r Shaw before at Abinger—-& was amused at some of the talk—- Lord F. speaking of the rule of 10^m. speech at the County Council said "I got such a rise out of G. about that— I told him that was the sort of rule he wanted in the H. of C— W. E. G. answered "It is one of the most valuable things in the H. of C. that it has absolute freedom of discussion" wh— Laura laughed at & treated as a good joke—& asked Lord F. whether W. E. G. had said that lately— yes only the other day— Lord F. then admired Asquith's outspoken answers when Mr. S. [Lefevre] said that the way for ministers to be really popular (à propos also to Lord Rosebery was to sit on the Gov^t side & speak on the opposition.

The Leos are coming tonight wh. is v. nice—but I can't think how they can leave the house just now—

Hen. & R— have had a nice week w. the chicks at Kirkby Moorside—ending w. a cold wh. delayed them for some days—

Bessy saw M^rs Wright on Sat— She was m. shocked at the death of M^r Crum, who is a friend of hers tho' not her brother-in-law. Hen. is laid up w. the consequence of her cold at Harrogate; but not too poorly to enjoy Kitty's company & teache bezique w. success! to R—

They will be here in a weeks time.