Melbourne Sample Rooms
325 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
(Thursday) 20 February 1913
My dearest & sweetest Dolly
Please excuse my hurried writing but I have only a few minutes for the mail so perforce I shall have to hurry somewhat.
Last Sunday week Cliff & I went out for the evening to see one of Cliff’s friends. We had just a nice quiet evening & plenty of music. Incidentally I may tell you I have smashed my first finger of the left hand for some time is has been rather sore. Whether it will affect my playing or not I don’t know but it is making good progress toward recovery & I am in hopes that no trace of it will remain.
Monday I was fairly busy & saw quite a lot of men. At night I had dinner with a girl & really it was most remarkable – the resemblance to Miss Robertson. It might have been her twin sister. After dinner I took her for a motor run & saw a bit of the country. You ain’t jealous are you? She is rather nice but not in the same street as you – not by miles.
Tuesday I was just busy enough to keep out of mischief. I had not many men to see but they were quite enough. At night we met Palfreyman (I have mentioned him in my previous letters) & had dinner with him. Later we chartered a taxi & drove to St Kilda & went to a pierrot show. We enjoyed it immensely altho’ there was not a good audience.
Wednesday I booked a few pieces (about 40,000 yds) & went to bed early as I was tired out feeling pretty well fed up with the world (this side) in general.
Thursday morning I was again very busy but I finished in time to get in a motor run with Charlie Benfold. He is one of my biggest customers. We went out to Mordiallic – a charming little seaside resort about 25 miles out of Melbourne. The roads were rotten but the scenery &company were tip-top & we had quite a good time.
At night I wrote to Jones & went to bed early still having that tired feeling.
Friday morning more work & cables flying about. In the afternoon if was wet but Palfreyman came for us & took us for a glorious run to Warrandyte. The dust was laid & with the rain everything looked perfectly charming. We dined together & then I came back to work for an hour or so. I got to bed by 10 o’clock.
Saturday morning I was fooling round attending to little odds & ends & after lunch I helped Clifford to pack his things. He went off by boat to Sydney & he only just caught it. In fact he was the last man on board & immediately he walked up the gangway they pulled it up.
Then I came back & packed my bag for the weekend. I went off to Ringwood with Collinge where I could get away from all mundane affairs. We had a very nice quiet pleasant weekend & never exerted ourselves at all. There is nothing much to see except that it is a peaceful country district, but the mosquitos were rather troublesome & my face is another perfect picture.
We came back Monday morning & I settled down to work. I had lunch with Uggla(?) – a man I travelled with to Capetown & said goodbye to him. I made a blunder on a cable to the firm & it looks rather suspicious doesn’t it. It was an accident & it is the first I have made.
At night I went out to St Kilda & saw some pierrots & that’s all. Now I’m going to talk to you seriously.
When I received your letter stating what you had been doing & what a quandary you were in I immediately cabled you to resign the federation work. You realise quite well that it is utterly useless for you to continue in the way you have done in the past.
Therefore I ask you as a particular special favor to me to resign the work at once if you have not already done so. You know sweetheart we cannot have our married life spoilt just for the sake of 12 months hard work which is simply killing you. I feel very strongly about it & I promise you, you will not have to wait very long before I shall ask you to name the day. For the sake of a few pounds is it worth it?
I shall not mention the matter again but please accede to my request & hang the consequences.
Now as to my homecoming. My father has an idea he would like to come up to London & meet me & frankly I don’t want him. If he does decide to come I would much prefer that I sneak home quietly to M/c & you could meet me at the station, but it may happen you have to go to London on business. Anyway please discuss the matter with Nora. I am trying all I know to get back for Whit week & if it is possible I shall do it.
I have just twenty minutes left to write my letter to the firm so I must fly. I may add more later if I can persuade a boy to take the letters to the station with late fee.
Booked a big order with a new customer yesterday. I had to fight for over a week to get in but I got him nicely altho’ it cost me a few pounds to do.
Sorry. I have no time.
Much love Sweetheart
Yours for ever
Harry
Miss Darlington
14 Kenwood Road
Stretford
Manchester