Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Isabel Field
Date
05 May 1895
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Object Detail
Date
05 May 1895
Transcript
Cranmore Lodge Sunday morning
My dearest Sissie
Just a line or two, altho’ I have no news to tell you. I expect you have heard all news past and present from the Spences. I went up and sat with Alice the afternoon after they left. She is wonderfully cheery but after all it isn’t such a wrench for her for she is awfully happy with her hubby and child. The latter has improved most wonderfully and is quite pretty with very blue eyes and fair hair tho’ it isn’t nearly such a smart baby even now as your Babs was when it was with us. Alice is a very unpopular young woman and has a reputation for meaness that she doesn’t altogether deserve. The Springs leave on Tuesday and they are looking forward to seeing you. What a host of Dunedin friends you have seen lately.
Father gave Mother for a birthday present the chesterfield sofa (I daresay you remember it at the Springs) it is in very good repair and went for £3.5. Wasn’t it good of him, it has simply delighted Mother beyond words as she had set her heart on it tho she had never once thought of getting it. The drawing room looks awfully snug, what with your carpet which is a constant source of delight. Some time today I am expecting the Meesons, Amy, Dora and Mama. They are on their way to Melbourne for Amy’s marriage. In their note they asked me to tell May so that she could come over and see them here but May was so rude that I told her she needn’t trouble herself. She has befriended Miss Cumine’s nephew to an alarming extent and he spends most of his time there. I see very little of May for I am away all day bar Mondays from ½ past 9 till 5, so I haven’t much time for gadding. I had a note from Capt. Garsin asking me if I would sell one of my heads for a £1 less. I said yes, of course. Aunt Bella is most snubby on the subject of my pictures and the only paper she has sent me is a very vulgar comic paper holding me up to great ridicule, but in the select company of Messrs Nairn, Nerli and Miss Joel. I would send it to you, only I have given it to Nerli. I also figure in a leading article so tho condemned by Aunt Bella and Mr Rhind (who wrote to Father and said he thought I was completely spoilt by Nerli) I still hold up my head. You know that portrait of R.L. Stephenson in McGregor Wright’s in Wellington. I wonder if you could find out if the Mrs Turnbull who has bought it for £40 to present it to the Edinburgh National Collections is the mother of that girl we met one night at the Bethunes. I know she comes from Fielding and she wrote Nerli such an awfully kind letter about it. Don’t forget to tell me if you find out. I went up to se the Rattrays and had a good crack with Kate. She said you were most spirited and treated them royally and raved about the kiddy. People say Kate’s manners have improved! [Incomplete]
My dearest Sissie
Just a line or two, altho’ I have no news to tell you. I expect you have heard all news past and present from the Spences. I went up and sat with Alice the afternoon after they left. She is wonderfully cheery but after all it isn’t such a wrench for her for she is awfully happy with her hubby and child. The latter has improved most wonderfully and is quite pretty with very blue eyes and fair hair tho’ it isn’t nearly such a smart baby even now as your Babs was when it was with us. Alice is a very unpopular young woman and has a reputation for meaness that she doesn’t altogether deserve. The Springs leave on Tuesday and they are looking forward to seeing you. What a host of Dunedin friends you have seen lately.
Father gave Mother for a birthday present the chesterfield sofa (I daresay you remember it at the Springs) it is in very good repair and went for £3.5. Wasn’t it good of him, it has simply delighted Mother beyond words as she had set her heart on it tho she had never once thought of getting it. The drawing room looks awfully snug, what with your carpet which is a constant source of delight. Some time today I am expecting the Meesons, Amy, Dora and Mama. They are on their way to Melbourne for Amy’s marriage. In their note they asked me to tell May so that she could come over and see them here but May was so rude that I told her she needn’t trouble herself. She has befriended Miss Cumine’s nephew to an alarming extent and he spends most of his time there. I see very little of May for I am away all day bar Mondays from ½ past 9 till 5, so I haven’t much time for gadding. I had a note from Capt. Garsin asking me if I would sell one of my heads for a £1 less. I said yes, of course. Aunt Bella is most snubby on the subject of my pictures and the only paper she has sent me is a very vulgar comic paper holding me up to great ridicule, but in the select company of Messrs Nairn, Nerli and Miss Joel. I would send it to you, only I have given it to Nerli. I also figure in a leading article so tho condemned by Aunt Bella and Mr Rhind (who wrote to Father and said he thought I was completely spoilt by Nerli) I still hold up my head. You know that portrait of R.L. Stephenson in McGregor Wright’s in Wellington. I wonder if you could find out if the Mrs Turnbull who has bought it for £40 to present it to the Edinburgh National Collections is the mother of that girl we met one night at the Bethunes. I know she comes from Fielding and she wrote Nerli such an awfully kind letter about it. Don’t forget to tell me if you find out. I went up to se the Rattrays and had a good crack with Kate. She said you were most spirited and treated them royally and raved about the kiddy. People say Kate’s manners have improved! [Incomplete]
Pages
4 pages
Sender's address
Cranmore Lodge
Institutional No.
MS-Papers-0085-03
Credit Line
Letters
from
Frances
Hodgkins.
Field,
Isabel
Jane,
1867-1950
:
Correspondence
of
Frances
Hodgkins
and
family
/
collected
by
Isabel
Field.
Ref:
MS-Papers-0085-03.
Alexander
Turnbull
Library,
Wellington,
New
Zealand.
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22795199
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22795199