WCP8

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

Jan[uar]^y. 18^th. 1891

My dear Will

The enclosed letter came after you left. We have had no water even juice, — & no sign of any. The carpenter has nearly finished the balcony. The water-man has nearly finished the bells, and half finished the gas, when, sad to say, a row occurred yesterday. He & Mr. Rigler quarreled — swung hard words at each other, & he came in the evening, took away his tools, & says he will not do another stroke of work for Mr. Rigler. [2] What will come of it I don’t know — we shall see.

Suppose you have been skating every night by moonlight. Violet¹ has written, but has not explained anything of her doings. She goes to London tomorrow.

The teapot was sent back to London & has come again finely polished, as it ought to have been at first.

Pray do not forget to get your knife back from the cove you lent it to, or.5/-. The clerk [3] at the bank has given me two half crowns — 1819 — and 1821 fairly good but I expect you have better. Hope you have not smashed your chrono. Yet, — or lent it to the fellow who has got your knife. I dare say he would like to borrow it on the same terms.

Horribly cold last night — down to 18° and freezing hard all day today.

Poor Mr. Sharpe² is worse. He has had another operation. They had to cut deep into his back & to cut away part of his ribs [4] to get at the abscess underneath, and it is kept open, with a tube in it. It was done last Wednesday & they say he is going on well, but of course cannot move & has two nurses constantly looking after him. We were there yesterday & Mrs. Sharpe told us about it.

Mind & tell us all your news both official and domestic — Collegian & Grumpian. —

Your affectionate Papa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]