1 23 Dec 15 My pr I believe this is really my Xmas letter but I am getting
a little tired of sending Xmas greetings even to a pr when I know
she now takes them — & a lot of other things too — quite for granted.
However I'll wish her one more wish which I know, & hope it
may come true. Richardson is off & I am sorry that as he will only be
one day in town he will not be able to look you up, tho' he took
your tel No in case there may be a chance later. I think
his wife who lives at 18 Park Avenue Bidford & who often comes
up to town (!) would probably be glad to see you, but probably
not till after he returns. I wonder if Rex's old place in the New Forest would
do for us. I'm not quite sure of the address but think it
was Mrs Olding. Olding's farm Redlynch near Downton
Wiltshire. It is a delightful part of the country & a comfortable
farm. It might be worth writing (?) & if you do so don't
forget to enquire the best means of getting there. I'm afraid I am
giving a tired little pr a great deal to do & to decide, but as
she knows the will not mind what she does with him, as
long as she ......, she need not worry about troubling
unduly in making up her mind. 2 I see that Lloyd George's speech
makes it quite plain that he
does not expect the war to finish in less that 1 year & that
Redmond is beginning to show his teeth more in the open. I retract
anything I have said about his possibly being an honest patriot. Squiffy will try to put things off again on hearing his master's voice
but I have some faint hope that this may prove too much for L G
& that the former may have to go but I'm afraid this is too
good to be true & there is always the his £9000 or £10000 to think
of. If I were a millionaire I think I would pension him off
for the sake of the country tho' few men ( or women ) deserve it
less. I don't like your being so tired now writing me letters, I
quite understand about the times. All I mean to say is that
if you have anything urgent for the post it is best to post it
a good deal earlier in the afternoon is possible but I don't want
you to worry about the letters for me any more than you
want me to do for you. The place I was at in the trenches was heavily shelled just
after I left ( ? my motor) but no one was hurt & the village itself
was past hurting. News of a big French victory ( at any rate
it sounds like a bit victory with 1200 prisoners ) has just come in.
It is very necessary that the French should get encouragement just now My dear love to the family & best Xmas wishes!! Your bw WB Spender