Dabton <1>
Nov. 3d 1876
My dear Papa,
We had a most lovely day for our expedition to Speddoch <2> on Wednesday. It had frozen hard in the night, and there was ice on the small pond, but the sun was so bright and the air so still that it felt quite warm. The country was looking very pretty between Dumfries and Speddoch; I believe I had not been along that road for 14 years. Mama <3> will be pleased to hear that her kittens were received with open arms first by Mrs Hope at Dumfries, where we deposited our parcels and returned to lunch, and where the kittens spent a very happy morning, fed and petted by the children and by Mrs Hope <4> herself, who would scarcely let them go: and then by their future mistress, Mrs Kay, who was enchanted with them, and said they were just the colour and kind she was wishing for. So they are both to remain with her or some member of her family, for husband, wife, sister & niece are equally cat-lovers, & the little things were petted & fondled by each alternately. They had grown so tame and amiable, that they minded neither the journey nor strangers touching them; so they may be considered to have fallen upon good luck. The vineries at Speddoch are really worth a journey to see. The produce has to be sold well this year, and next season it is expected they will bear double the crop. The gardener also forces strawberries & tomatoes, & keeps bees in a scientific manner. The extreme order and tidiness of the whole garden, his potting sheds, packing room &c is worthy of admiration. There is a rose bush at Speddoch still in full flower, covered with very well shaped pink roses, quite a boon at this season. Up to the night before the fuchsia, and heliotropes were quite fresh, but that frost destroyed them. Today it is quite mild and turning to rain. I hope you continue to get on well at Bournemouth, Charles <5> paid you a very short visit but I suppose he does not like remaining long so far from the seat of action. I meant to have written by early post, but Tillly <6> wanted to take advantage of the mild day to get some perennials moved in the border where they crowded upon each other, so the time passed away in gardening. I enclose this post office communication which should have been adressed <sic> to Ela. <7> She will have, I suppose, to answer it, and explain that it is not one solitary number but all the numbers which have been over-charged. Tilly’s great friend (whom they went to see last year) Mrs Maxwell of Moureith has just died at Bournemouth quite suddenly, for though she had been infirm for some years she was not considered in a dangerous condition, much less so than her husband who survives her. Tilly sends her love. The children are all quite well
Your most affectionate daughter
Rosamond.
Notes:
1. Dabton, Dumfriesshire: home of WHFT’s daughter Matilda.
2. Speddoch, Dumfriesshire, 10 mi NW of Dumfries: home of WHFT’s daughter Matilda.
3. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
4. See Doc. No: 03053.
5. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
6. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
7. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.