1 August 25th July My pr Got your letter of 22nd this evening 24th . No
old thing it won't do. If you aren't feeling better
when you get this & tell me so I shall write to
Lady R & tell her she must get someone to
take on from the first week in September. I have written to Rex and told him Jin
will manage your his parcels and we will settle
up with her. In your next letter tell me how you stand
in regard to our business and do no more. I
can arrange nearly everything with Maguire
from here. The lending to the Government is
rather urgent though as I believe it has to be done 2 by the 1 Sept so I enclose a letter to Mr
Maguire for you to forward if you have not
already done written. But the first thing is your holiday
& I tell you flat I shall write to Ruby
& have you sacked if you are not very
good! I am thinking of asking Jessie to
vet you but hitherto I have been able to
trust my pr to tell me the truth of how
she feels and so won't take extreme measures yet. As for your holiday you need not go
on economical lines this time as I want it
to be a real holiday. 3 I haven't yet appeared in the Gazette — an
unusually long wait! Supposing I am sent
back to Capt again what a bw and pr we shall be
it will be a case of pppr! I hope my exalted
encomium — shan't talk of pay now! — begins
from the date of my duties, an extra 9/- a day
I believe I get which ought to pay for a
pr's chocolate even on a holiday! I resubmitted the dispatch 19 May to
16 July to K today but I shall not hear what
he thinks for a day or two, & shall be very
depressed in consequence I expect for I really
have tried hard, & only want a pr to make
it quite a success. I wish I could take it home 4 on leave and do it there tho' I see there would be difficulties
about maps, of which I have several square
yards for each day of the month to look
at! Yesterday someone came in for a break
said he came from Fermanagh talked of gun
running, and Fermanagh but I could not place
him even when he said something which showed
his brother had died & been a peer. Very interesting
it was but I wish I had known before he left
that it was Crichton — who is now a King's
messenger and whom I hope to see out here
again. Several times at night I have been
startled by someone who whistles some of
my special tunes — Autumn the apple blossom 5
and the dirge of
Colquoolan (??) you
will love my spelling
of this! I expect it
must be one of the
Artists rifles who form
the body guard here
a safe but not very
glorious role. I wish K would
let me know what
he thinks of the dispatch
up to date. I must
go and see him tomorrow
to know how I am to 6
deal with a fortnights
almost uninterrupted
failures at the end
of July! Things are
better again now, & will
be easier but not
the intermediate period. I don't want long
letters now old thing
nor to give you anymore
business. Please look
after yourself as your
payment of the many
good marks you owe
— you say — to your
bw.
WB Spender