Carruchan
Monday Jan 9th 1865.
My dear Papa,
We are very glad to hear that you are coming to see us, and I hope that you will now fix as early a day as you can. We have finally settled to go home on Wednesday; and I don’t think there is the least chance of our altering the day again; as Johnnie has been away quite as long as he can conveniently be at this time. Will you come on Thursday? for there is nothing to be done but to light a fire in your room – at any rate; I hope you will fix on a day in this week, as we are sure to be alone for a week at any rate after getting home, which I think you will prefer – after that, there are one or two people who may be coming, but not immediately. – Only think Jack is going to make a plunge into society – I only hope his head will not be turned – but he has been asked to go tomorrow to a Christmas tree at Banks of Clouden. The entertainments to begin at ½ past five – and I felt I couldn’t refuse to let him go & see his dear friends the “Wee Walkers” – only I have invited myself to go with him – in order to carry him off if he gets sleepy or too much excited – Nurse only had been asked – He knows all the Capital letters of the Alphabet now. & amuses himself by finding them out in the title pages of all the books he [illegible deletion] can get hold of, & we are now busy learning the small letters, which are more difficult. Baby is making rapid progress in speaking, & comes out with some new word or attempt at a word every day. The weather is not quite so pleasant now – very damp & chilly, but no frost. It would be better if we had regular cold winter weather. It was very curious that when you had snow in Edinburgh on New Year’s day and there was none at all here, there were nine inches at Dabton! We are very glad to have got tenants for Speddoch, for a year certain – and probably to go on longer. Mr Maxwell of Gribton who had the shooting already, has now taken the house & garden – as he is going to be married immediately to Miss Stewart of Southwick in the next county – (not far from Southerness). She is a nice ladylike person; we met her in the summer – and I think there will be no difficulties with them. We shall very likely have to go over to Speddoch for a few days before they come into occupancy, to see that every thing is left as we wish it – but I don’t think they will want it for a month or so to come – but I am very glad of the arrangement, as it is so much better for the place to be regularly occupied.
Good bye dear Papa. Give my love & the children’s to Mama, Mamie & my Sisters –
Yr affecte daughter
Tilly.
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esqre.
13. Great Stuart Street
Edinburgh