1899
United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, France
September 5th, 1899
Adelaide
My Beloved Angee,
Have just received your welcome letter of August 3rd which was landed by the Arcadia at this port on Sunday last the 3rd Inst. and has since travelled overland to Melbourne and back. Thank the Lord you are feeling better for the change to Ilfracombe, but sorry to hear you are suffering so much pain in your hands and a little in your right knee. It is in this latter joint that I have been suffering so much for many weeks now – some days free from pain and most acute at other times – I have put it down to being in so much wet, but for the last week it has been fine and I had hoped would have recovered but it does not get much better.
You will have had a cable I sent to P.F.Co. sent on to you and glad enough you were I expect to receive the tidings – not more so than I am for I really want to get home. Bought my passage last week in Melbourne by P&O company's boats. I take their "Australia" to Albany from here on the 14th (next week) and from the "Arcadia" from Albany for Plymouth on the 1st of October – she is due in Plymouth Saturday Nov. 4th – most likely in the morning so that I should take the first train home – will send you a wire on arrival so that may know of my landing and time of arrival in Barnstaple. You must not think of going to Plymouth to meet me – should anything delay the "Arcadias" arrival on Saturday you will perhaps not see me until Monday. All is in the Lord's hands and we can trust His goodness and care to the end. I was needing more money and to save the cost of cabling P.F.Co. I have got my own cheque cashed for £50 – which P.F. can pay me again on my return and I will keep the one you now send from the Eastern Telegraph Company for £8/2/6 as I am wanting a little private cash. A dear brother came to the station at Melbourne to say good bye and two met me here on arrival last Saturday morning. It is a great cheer to find a little company of saints here and there – we get together every evening for reading in their houses which are humble but very nice and comfortable – they invite their neighbours and it is in a very simple homely way which I feel happy with.
The P&O have given me a nice cabin for my own use on board both the steamers – I expected dear Julia would be pleased that I had seen her sons – I remember that they were living in Napier and I had not much difficulty in finding them. Have done some good business here to begin with and also a little more for my Barnstaple Art Pottery.