From H. E. Litchfield to Elizabeth Darwin [late 1870s]

Dear Bessy

I have been a wretch not to write to you before & I have no reason except that I felt very lazy & have been wasting most of my day over Dubba. I always come to him with a slight sense of disappointment & get to think him more delightful than ever when I go away— He wasn't very civil to Caroline's playing  I asked him whether he liked it & he said `"No so I said why not, ''Because it is so ugly. I thk he has a v. quick memory we were walking up the kitch garden & saw a cuckoo so I began to sing him the song abt the cuckoos is a funny bird wh. I had been singing the day before (for the first time I'm almost sure) but I couldn't remember the 7^th & 8^th lines when he immediately supplied them—""& never says Cuckoo, till Spring time is near""— Of course we we were marching & he remarked it wd be very nice when we had Ubbedy & we cd go in a line & then asked where you were—

I wonder whether its a bad thing to have such bloody sports— He & Robert were killing Zulus which was rather dangerous but very delightful & must be stopped. you put the wicket stumps here & there about the lawn & both rush & slash at them with the sticks till you knock them down—

Tell Mary I feel to have got quite friends with Walter & we often have talks. Robert keeps firmer to the kitchen regions. M^rs Evans said after a v. wet day—''I did pray we might have a fine day *P [symbol for tomorrow] *Q for those children were in & out the whole day long. They are wonderfully good to Bernard. I notice he kisses Walter of his own accord wh. he never has done to me— Jackson is to take them to the Crystal Palace which will be good fun I sh^d hope. No doubt youve heard of Louisa's v. kind plan for the parents to lodge at her house whilst she visits me— Its most thoughtful of her to think of it & she proposes it so nicely I'll send her letter if I haven't lost it— I'm so glad to see that you are starting with better weather than we have here— Its as cold & rainy & horrid here as possible— My 1^st. tour in Switz the weather was a g^t. trial 1$\frac{1}{2}$ fine days in 10 days or a fortnight at Engstlen & very few at Glion. My normal thing was a very old hat, no gown & waterproof—& it was a g^t. take off tho' I did enjoy it extremely all the same— I'm going to be larky & go to M^rs Lushes party tonight. I'm only bored to thk of all the people who'll ask how I am  I wish it was civil to let it alone but it isn't, so it cant be helped I shall see St A. *P [symbol for tomorrow] *Q & then know what I'm to do to finish getting well

Give my best love to Mary— your ever aff. dear B | HEL