II
You will be glad to hear the Luck is in for once‚ÅÝ‚Äîwe are here right over the Holidays and the rooms are very nice, the landlady most obliging person‚ÅÝ‚Äîso that there will be no difficulty about George coming‚ÅÝ‚Äîisn‚Äôt that splendid! If Jim can see him on the train at King‚Äôs Cross or get someone to see him in, someone dependable of course, then either Jim or who ever it is seek out a carriage for Leeds with some nice person who is coming to Leeds‚ÅÝ‚Äîand ask them if they would mind keeping an eye on George on the way‚ÅÝ‚Äîspecially not letting him go into the corridor by himself or play with the window. Perhaps if you could spare the time, my dear, it would be best‚ÅÝ‚Äîand any nice person would be glad of the company of such a bright boy as George, don‚Äôt you think? Of course this is further on than Leeds but then we can meet the train there and that means no changing for him, and Joe has found out the exact train, which is 8:45 in the morning from King‚Äôs Cross, please don‚Äôt forget‚ÅÝ‚Äî8:45 in the morning, and the day after tomorrow, that is the 23rd. You could send us a wire saying he is safely off. Here is the P.O. for the fare, half of course. And I know you will see he has his proper things with him and is well wrapped up for the journey‚ÅÝ‚Äîit is much colder here of course than it is with you‚ÅÝ‚Äîand has a bun or two and perhaps a bit of chocolate and some of those comic picture papers to look at. You can imagine, my dear, what a relief it is to have someone like you that a Mother can trust!
So this is going to be a proper Christmas for us for once and I am sure I don‚Äôt know which is the most excited about it, Joe or me, for we have been buying toys and things for George‚Äôs stocking‚ÅÝ‚Äînot that he believes in S. Claus still of course, I know that, but surely he will like to hang his stocking up‚ÅÝ‚Äîand we have made arrangements for a real Christmas Dinner‚ÅÝ‚Äîand Miss Trant has got George an invitation to a big Children‚Äôs Party there is to be in the town on Boxing Day afternoon. Now that money is coming in regularly again, not missing a week here and a week there, with rooms and meals to pay for all the time, it makes such a difference, gives you Confidence again‚ÅÝ‚Äîso that‚ÅÝ‚Äîtouch wood‚ÅÝ‚Äîthings look altogether brighter and when we have our own dear child with us and have a happy Christmas altogether, I shall be a new woman! Would you believe it‚ÅÝ‚Äîa month ago I was in the Depths of Despair‚ÅÝ‚Äîwe were all in them, even Joe, who may have his faults but hardly ever gives up hoping and taking a cheerful View, as you know‚ÅÝ‚Äîand then everything suddenly turned round. The Show is going magnificently‚ÅÝ‚Äîgood houses every night and you could not want a better audience, a real taste for Good music into the bargain. I have been asked to give two items at a Sacred Concert here, in connection with the. Wesleyans or Congregationals, I forget which‚ÅÝ‚Äîand Joe has been offered 15/- for two items any Sunday evening at the Labour Club here, Mrs.¬ÝAndrews‚Äô husband being a member and though a little rough and ready perhaps a gentleman at heart. So we have Everything to be thankful for as things have turned out.
It seems to be the same with everybody here‚ÅÝ‚Äîthough Goodness knows it can‚Äôt last. Jimmy Nunn, our com., says he is better than he has been for the last two years and looks it‚ÅÝ‚Äîand our pianist keeps up well and is as I said he was from the first as nice a young fellow as you could wish to find‚ÅÝ‚Äîand Miss Trant is a perfect lady to us all, does everything she can for us‚ÅÝ‚Äîand everybody is not only on speaking terms, and you know how rare that is, but is really friendly and nice‚ÅÝ‚Äîso that we might almost be a Happy Family. I am sure I have never wanted George to know anything about the Stage or to see me at work, and I have told you so many a time‚ÅÝ‚Äîhaven‚Äôt I‚ÅÝ‚Äîbut I am sure if there ever was a Time or Place where it was right for him to do so, this is it!
The enclosed bag is offered with love, Clara, and gratitude for what you have done for George‚ÅÝ‚Äîand best wishes for a Happy Christmas, though it may not seem as if I meant it when I am taking George away from you just at this festive season, but you can imagine what it means to a Mother! As soon as I saw it in the shop I said to Joe‚ÅÝ‚ÄîThat will just do for Clara, she‚Äôll love it. And he said, No she won‚Äôt, what put that idea into your head. And we argued about it quite a time before I found he was looking at the wrong thing and thought I was pointing to a fretwork outfit‚ÅÝ‚Äîjust like a Man! He sends his love and best wishes to you and Jim and says if you can put it into George‚Äôs head that he wants a clockwork train and a signal box etc.‚ÅÝ‚Äîso much the better.