another girl writes a letter to Arthur Norman Stanley...hmm

'Ellerslie'

32 Terry St.,Rozelle.

N.S.Wales

11.11.17

Dear Mr Barwick,

I was pleasantly surprised to receive your letter last Friday. Mother received your card the day previous.

By now you will have no doubt seen London and will be in France with new events happening each day. In St John's life goes on as before, with the occasional exception of new names being added to the Roll of Honour.    You were no doubt sorry to hear that the School has given another who has died for his King and Country, in the person of Charlie Cox. Mr Gooud felt the loss very keenly. For two Sundays after the news came through, he just seemed dazed. I am pleased to say that now he is himself again.

The Sunday School Sale of Work commences on Friday 30th November and is continued on Saturday afternoon and evening. Miss Murden and I have the miscellaneous stall and so far our prospects are fairly bright. Already we have supplies of soap, jam, toothpaste, jelly crystals, ham pate, rex cheeses etc and so forth promised. It is rather hard luck that the first night of my yearly exams at the "Tech" commences at 7pm on the opening night of the Sale of Work (from 7pm till 10) so I will not be able to be at the stall, but Katie has kindly promised to take my place for that evening.

I received an invitation one day last week to spend the afternoon of Saturday 10th (yesterday) with Mrs Drake. This was nothing unusual, but I was very much surprised on arriving, at finding all my S.S. [Sunday School] class and Mr Manning there too. After a guessing competition (which Mr Manning won) consisting of names of flowers with the letters out of order and to be spelt correctly, we adjoined to the dining room for tea. Before actually partaking of the tea, on behalf of my girls, Mrs Drake and Mrs Elliott, Mr Manning said that he had much pleasure in presenting me with a lovely brush and comb set. Talk about taking the wind out of one's sails, well after Mr Manning had finished speaking there was a dead calm. Of course I had to say a few words in reply. Then Katie stood up and put into words, what I felt and what I should have liked to say.

After tea we had running, skipping and jumping races in which Lily Green did well and at a quarter to six Mr Manning suddenly remembered he had a wedding for six o'clock and so he hurriedly said Goodbye and departed.

After he had left we spent some time out in the boat and then had a singing competion which Fred drake won and some other games; the party breaking up about 9.30pm. Much to Fred's disgust Mr Manning forgot to read the address inside the lid of the brush and comb and mirror case and which they had taken great pains to prepare. The secret of it was so well kept, as they had been preparing for and looking forward to yesterday for about four months.

Today has been the Children's Day at St John's. We had a very fine service with all the children present in the Church this afternoon. Mr Manning fairly drove it home this morning in Church about the lack of teachers, with the result that three new ones have come forward. He is going to repeat the dose at the Service tonight. (Dad and I are keeping house tonight, with Toski)

As you will receive this about Christmastide we all join in wishing you a merry and a happy Xmas; happy in that you are making others brighter, 

With kind regards,

yours sincerely, Grace McLachlan

I have just completed a fortnight's holiday at Jamberoo 96 miles outside of Kiama) The country down the south coast is very beautiful.