It is a question of three things:  1st, higher and healthier situation—­2nd, modern appliances and drains unconnected with the old town sewers—­3rd, my Goodman took a wild fancy to the house—­and picked his own den—­and said he could “live and be at peace” there:  and this means life and death to me!

So we have boldly taken this other house!  A mile above the town—­on high ground, built by one of the sanitary commission (!), brand new—­and with a glorious view.  Not a stick in the garden! but things grow fast here.  I shall have a charming drawing room 24 feet long (so it will hold me!!!), with two quaint little fire-places with blue tiles.  Rex has a very nice den with French doors into the garden, where he seems to hope to “attain Nirwana”—­and live apart from the world.  Small as I am, I have an odd liking for large rooms (the oxygen partly—­and partly that I “quarterdeck” so when I am working—­and suffer so in my spine and head from close heat).  Now it is very hot here.  There’s no doubt about it!  So, on the whole, I hope we’ve done well to house ourselves as we have.  And we can give a comfortable bedroom to a friend!  My dear Marny—­you must come and see me!  It’s really a quaint old town—­with a rather foreign-looking cloistered “Place”—­and a curious Saturday Market—­with such nice red pottery on sale!!

Now to go back—­and tell you about my Goodman.  He had three weeks of “real high time” in Malta.  Then he came home—­to Warwick Road.  At first I thought him much hot-climatized, and was worried.  But he is now looking as well as can be.  We had a few very happy days at Ecclesfield.  It is a most tender spot with me that he is so fond of my old home!  They know his ways—­he says he is at peace—­and he rambles about among the old books—­and the people in the village are so glad to see him—­and it is very nice.

He took up his duties here on our 16th wedding day!

The place suits him admirably.  I felt sure it would.  But I did not hope I should feel as well in it as I do.  It IS hot—­and not VERY dry—­but it is much less relaxing than I thought, and where we have got our house it is high and breezy—­and very, very nice.  I am most thankful, and only long to get settled and be able to work!

We are in lodgings close to—­next door to—­the very fine barracks.  Our room looks into the barrack-yard, and the dear bugles wake and send us to sleep!

Your loving
J.H.E.

Caldecott has done seventeen illustrations to “Jackanapes.”

TO MRS. A.P.  GRAVES.

June 15, 1883.

MY DEAR MRS. GRAVES,

Once more I thank you for lovely flowers! including one of my chief favourites—­a white Iris.  It is very good of you.  You do not know what pleasure they give me!  If you continue to bless me with an occasional nosegay when I move into my house, I shall not so bitterly suffer from the barrenness of the garden.