Stevens 1894-10-04

Text, letter

Cold. Received the accompanying note from Mr Langley.

Brook Farm
Marden
Kent
Oct 3rd 94.

Rev Sir

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your welcome note, for the extension of time granted, and for the good wishes expressed therein.

I hope to be at Sibford by Saturday evening, although it is possible that I may not be able to leave till the Sunday.

I am Rev Sir
Yours respectfully
J Langley

Rev E. T. Stevens, M.A.

I lent Harry the mare and dog-cart to drive to Shenington to dine with Arthur Shelswell. Bell and I called on Charlotte Harris. Her daughter, Mrs Dolman, was out with her husband and her daughter Caroline, who has had to give up learning the dressmaking in Banbury owing to her health. She is said to be consumptive, and the doctor has ordered her to be in the open air as much as possible and to take milk and cod liver oil and Brandy. But the child is a “tee-totaller” and refuses the Brandy.

We visited also widow Mary Sabin and Widow Wyatt and her daughter. We called at Charles Barnes’s to see Miss Sabin, but could not make anyone hear. We also visited Mrs Elley who told us that the Evangelists’ tent was stored in Mark Barnes’s Barn for the winter. “It belonged” she said, “to a lady at Bloxham who paid the Evangelists.”

Bell visited Mrs Lovell, recently confined, also William Harris and Job Harris, who was ill in bed, but was at Church last Sunday. I visited Thomas Keen whom I found ill in bed. He had another “stroke” last Sunday morning. He appeared in a more humble and penitent frame of mind than I had ever seen him before. His wife, who pays every attention to him, says he appears sometimes to wander in mind. She shewed me a very nice little letter from her grandchild Doxe, who is 10 years old to-day. She seems very happy at “The Little Orphanage” at Honington.

Mr Inns called this evening about the pew for Mr Dixon and change of sittings for Mr Woods. I told him I was content to leave it to him to do the best he could, and said I hoped he would be able to find seats for Mr and Mrs Long, reminding him at the same time that the seats in church were not attached to houses, which he fully admitted. I spoke to him about the proposed new “Hopper” ventilators for the school room, and wrote to the Headmaster of the Church School at Bodicote asking him as to the efficiency of these in use in his school-room which were made by a Mr Clark of Brackley whom Inns purposes to employ in making the ironwork of ours. They are to cost not more than 30/- each. I sent a note to Inns after he left asking him not to do anything about them till I had heard from Bodicote.