From H. E. Litchfield to Emma Darwin 20 [April 1883?]

Dearest Mother

Many thanks for enclosures. May I keep them to take to Ellen next time? I'm sorry to say she was very poorly again yesterday, but she did just see me for $\frac{1}{4}$ hr & I read her some letters.

Now I'm off to Woodhouse to begin my false teeth. Jenny Tuke & one daur come today— We shall be a housefull! But they all amuse each other— Today we had two of the Mortlake cousins to lunch, so had specimens of all the cousinhood. It is such lovely weather.

Yours & Bessy's letters just come in. As Dubba's cold is so bad I won't take our tickets for one more day for you to send me word again how he is. Dubba asked me the other day when Lords & Ladies were out, & then explained he remembered getting them the day Baba died & how could it had been if Baba had died in March. I was thinking on the 19^th how little anniversarys are to me, & here in London I don't feel what you say about the vegetation— But I always think in this dry sunny weather of some of those days when you used to get to that little encampment in the orchard & the crocuses were so wide opened.

I see I must tell you the Emily story—but there isn't m. to tell only she seemed to diffuse an atmosphere of ice, & she was huffed w. Hope & huffed Hope (really too minute & long to tell) but how Lily dared to make such a speech I can't think. I wonder how m. it is you & how m. it is Gladstone. I can't judge as I have felt such a profound distrust of his fairness & honesty for so long & I don't know that I have read his speeches carefully eno' to see how m. he has laisse. It seems rash on the part of the Times abt the Parnell letter, but still upon the whole I'm inclined to believe it genuine. However I rather doubt its being wise as there will always be two opinions abt it—

I had a little sight of M. Shaen today, but Conny came in very soon, so it was only fairly satisfac. Godfrey seems better but has gained no weight wh. Margt [Gorden] lays great stress on. Mrs Shaen going on well upon the whole—

Goodnight dear Mother.

My great housefull is rather tiring. I had a little sight of my dear old Mildred this morning— I hope you'll keep up the attempt at an occasional lark—