My dear old Willy

First in regard to your clothes you had better get a warm waist-coat & Trowsers, black & white,—something that will do for half mourning & yet will do afterwards—² If your dress Coat & waistcoat will not do, you must get others; but I thought they were in good state: you must judge for yourself.— I will write on separate paper to show M^r Mayor.³

The House has been in a wretched way lately; Mamma very bad; Etty, from catching cold has quite gone back; & I have had a bad cold. Georgy came home on Saturday & on Sunday he became bad & is not gone to school yet; but I suppose he will be fit tomorrow morning.⁴ Georgy’s Holidays are on 22^d: are yours fixed for 18^th.? Answer this.— On Saturday all the children went down for a farewell tea-party at Aunt Sarah’s, & Georgy staid till 10$\frac{1}{2}$ very jolly.— How you will miss that house.—⁵ The sale by Auction is to be this day fortnight, & about that day Hemmings & the maids will leave.—

The grey mare has been growing thin & we find she will not stand being turned out; & now she proves rather frisky, & whether she will not be too frisky for you I do not know; if so I will sell her again, & I daresay I shall not lose much money: she wants regular daily work, & then she is not at all too frisky.⁶

It is very jolly to think how soon you will be at home now.— Aunt Elizabeth will come here in a few days, & that will aid in making the House more cheerful.⁷ The new Railway to Beckenham will be open, we hear, on January 1^st.—⁸ Now that we shall not have the use of⁹