19 Porchester Place
2Edgware Rd
3Wednesday
4
5Dear John
6
7How are you two flourishing in your new nest? I don’t trouble either
8of you with letters, because I always think married people are always
9busy enough for the first year settling into their new life.
10
11Have you & Joan read a very interesting new book ^a nove^ by a new
12Norwegian writer called “The Great Hunger”, by Johan Bojer? I
13think if you haven’t you’d both be much interested in it. If you
14do wr read it I’d like to know what you both think of it. Another
15book, a little 2/6 book, that has interested me intensely is “The
16Diary of a Dead off Soldier” by West. It’s his real diary. Its a
17wonderful picture of a soul. I began reading it when I went to bed at
1812 o’clock & finished it at four. I find so few books that are
19interesting enough to hold me now; The great world cracking & breaking
20up about one holds ones attention with such awful intensity.
21
22My love to you both.
23Your small Aunt
24Olive
25
26My niece Dot is working at Portsmouth in the Navy, & seems quite well
27again & very happy.
28
29Ursula’s husband is coming back from France tomorrow. He’s not
30demobilized but he’s coming to take charge of a military hospital here.
31
32Oliver my beloved nephew has b cabled he hopes to arrive here from
33Mesopotamia early in March. He will go out to the Cape & fetch his
34wife & come back at once. I’ve had such beautiful letters from the
35girl he’s hes engaged to, & I am feeling so happy about the marriage,
36 & am longing to see her.
37
38My dear friends Captain Thompson & his wife have their second little
39son, born within a few weeks less than two years since their marriage!
40I’m going to see the new arrival tomorrow. My great consolation is
41all these dear young people whose lives are just beginning. There
42isn’t much else to give one joy in these dark days.
43