From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [20 May 1858]

My dear William

I enclose you M^r Wilson's letter which is nice & cordial, we think of your returning there either the 7^th or 13 Sep. which w^d leave you a month at home. Papa is gone to London he is afraid his bee's cells are turning out all wrong. I will look in your box but I shall be rather at a loss how to kill them.

With Chloroform I suppose. Aunt Susan has been with us for 3 days. She has pottered about the cows & pigs & talked with Brooks. Jane Brooks is married but we have not been to call upon her yet. There has been a great flareup at a Vestry Meeting where M^r Ainslie came & made a speech & abused M^r Innes for $\frac{1}{2}$ an hour at the same time professing the utmost respect for M^r Darwin who was also present. M^r Ainslie has gained the day & does not mean to pay his church rates. He is selling his cows one & by one & it is supposed that he is quite ruined. We performed the long talked of expedition to the paper mills on Horace's birth day & they all (even Lizzy) liked it very much. It is a very striking manufactory to see & not difficult to understand. I sincerely hope that naughty boy will be fined for killing the cat. Pushtigs is very near her confinement & she looks a funny little thing as she is no bigger than she was.

Etty is taking to Botany too. This the first fine day we have had for a month I think. I think you must have found the oak very difficult to draw. I am glad you keep up your sketching   Aunt Cathy says you had better take a small book or two to read on the tour. Georgy came home on Sat. & was quite enchanted with some folio vols with painted pictures of Knights in armour which we have had from the London Lib. & which kept him fully employed the whole time. Goodbye my dear old man | Yours E. D.