From Emma Darwinn to W. E. Darwin [30 January 1885]

My dear William

This is only a P. S– to my card of yesterday—

Your arguments have had a great deal of effect on me, so much so that I shall cast the subject off my mind—

I will send your letter on to Hen— She will like to know that you are sorry to go against her opinion. I do not expect however that she will vary—

She has got Laura safely arrived, but having suffered just in the old way from that short railway journey. It is mysterious what it can do to her brain—

Tonight is Ida's ball & Bessy chaperones Rachel Allen. Did you see the sad death of M^rs Deverell in her confinement.

The eldest daughter is 19 but very young of her age. Philip Norman is released by her death from his wife— I felt convinced she w^d survive him—

They say he is attached to somebody, so I hope we shall hear of his marriage in a decent time—

The weather is so warm that the stove makes us too hot & I don't have it lighted.

My best love to Sara–- yours my dear William

E. D.

I have engaged John's niece for k-maid-after a v. good character from M^rs Ffinden