MRS HICKSON WRITES TO HER SISTER

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 6, 1 July 1947, Page 6

MRS HICKSON WRITES TO HER SISTER

You will be thinking something has gone wrong; as 1 am so long in answering your last. I’m all right really, only I seem to have a lot to think about lately, what with one thing and another. I’d better tell you the truth, and that is that l have at last taken a boarder. I always said nothing would make me do it, because 1 have quite enough to do, and I do like to have my house to myself .and John, of course, and the children when they are here. You see it was like this. There’s been a lot of talk abo it people coming to the town to jobs of one sort and another, and not being able to get anywhere to live. There was quite a stir about young girls living in caravans, two together, all through last winter, and some of the women’s societies talked a lot about starting some sort of hostel for them, but it came to nothing. Too big a job, I reckon. Mind you, Win, 1 wouldn’t have liked it if it had been I orna or Mavis in some place where they had no house to go home to, but at the time it seemed no business of mine and I didn’t bother myself about it. I sometimes wondered what was doing, but nobody seemed to lie talking about it, so I thought it was all right. Well, last week our minister came to see me and asked me if I would think over taking a young girl just coming to work in Mackworth’s. She had come from somewhere down south, and didn’t know anybody here. I said why did she come without fixing up about where she would go, and he said she had been ordered by the doctor to come to a warmer place. Oh well, I said, I never have and l never will, so 1 think you’d better try someone else. He said lie had. out everyone seemed to have someone staying with them or had let a room or something else, and he was feeling a hit down in the mouth aliout it. I’m sorry I said, but I have quite enough to do without someone extra to do for. He said the girl was willing to help as much as she could in the house, and would see to her ow’n room Oh, yes, I said, but there’ll be all the extra cooking and getting her out in the mornings, and having to get ready

for her coining in at night. And 1 have done my share of that in my time, and am ready for a bit of rest. He said, “Yes, 1 know you have. You did it for Lorna and Mavis and .the boys.” Just then Win, 1 seemed to see Lorna coming in at nights. She used to look so tired, and would sit down by the fire if it was cold, and after a while have her tea, and then she would Ik* all bright again. The minister said, “I expect you urns them a bit now and then, don’t you?” I ex|K*ct it was thinking about Lorna, but l found myself not able to speak. I just nodded my head. Well, he said he’d he going, and he might have* some luck. He wanted to get the girl in. She was a nice lass, and lie knew her mother and father. So lie went out the door looking a bit quiet. And like an old silly, 1 up and said, “Oh. well if you think she is all right, send her here. I had just suddenly thought

liov\ awful iier mother would feci if she knew her girl was looking for a home and not able to find one, and what 1 wjould have been like if Lorr.a or Mavis had been in the same fix.

So she’s here, Win, and I will say site’s as nice a little thing as one could have about the place. Lorna came in this morning and said she was glad 1 had the girl really, as she would be company tor us. And so she is. I’in really glad 1 gave in just for once. it was rather funny last Sunday, but Mr. Bilins, that’s our minister, you know, read that bit about “I was a stranger, and ye took me not in." 1 felt I had just missed being one of those that were meant, and wasn’t I glad 1 had ojiened our door. So don’t scold me, Win, that’s a good girl. Hope you’re all well as we arc. You’ll he coming to see us before long. The time fairly whoops along. Here we are in the very middle of winter, and our summer clothes hardly put away yet. Marmalade time is coming and very little sugar yet. I was asking our grocer if there was any dried fruit to Ir* had, and lie said yes, I could have some prunes. I’m not so fond of prunes that I’d rush them, but they’re better than nothing, so I said I’d have some and said is there nothing else? He said, yes, sardines. 1 laughed and said they must be sea fruit. We got a tin, but I’ve only looked at it yet. It’s worth seeing after so long. We’ll open it for some special occasion. Much love from, MEG