1848 Umbalah HG 1 Cover

1848

Text of letter from Mrs:Clarke to Capt:Clarke.From Umbalah to a camp near Lahore. Umballa Dec 31 1848 The last day of the year;I wonder what Papas serman this day will be,he generally preaanes a very impulsive one on the afternoon of the last Sunday of the gear, when the little cold dark chuchh with its pulpit lights making the rest more dim is pretty well filled in general.I have not cashed the Agra bill for 60,& will not if I can avoid it. I yesterday wrote to Mrs Garrett & received her reply that she had no tidings of my box if you should think it should be done will you write to the Stores Yard at Mirzapore (between Allahabad & Benares)for that is where Watson said he shd write to order the addrefs to be changed from Gwalior to Umballa•I have no New Year wishes to utter for I do not like to think of it, I anticipate nothing from it except for my baby who will get on nicely at Simla I hope, the year will again be growing old before we have any other domestic sunshine at home or here, for I doubt if you or I shall meet much sooner•I laugh aloud to hear her trying to speak it is like a person stammering•I forget what the padaffairs was you took, you say you have opened it.I have had a very kind letter from Mrs Oldfield wh; I will send you.It is lucky I am not the judge for that man who married Mifs Rose,yousay he sha be tried by a jury of woman, my sentance wd be literally to"have his tongue cut out by the executioner,& then set at liberty to go where he would", a little barbaric judiciality of this kind wå mend the morals if I mistake not for prtsion of mankind.I dont understand about Doab Muhomed (Dost Muhammad, Afghan Chief, at first he was troublesome, became Amer of Kabul & in 1848 signed a treaty with the British at Jamrud & held his forces in check during the 1857 mutiny)being at Peshawar is that right for us, for I thought we were still against him as well as the Sikhs?You made no remark to my surprise on my striking Bobby What will you say when you hear DooRoo is still here & I shall not shange till the Simla plans are settled as I might not want a man there if I could live with anyone.I should be glad to do so,& as the last I heard of Mrs Chester was that she was there will you enquire of Mra Bean if she is still there,& I think you might ask him if he thinks she & I cd make it out together, or if not that cd you not ask him to write to her & enquire if there is any other family who wd receive me, but it sha be done at once,if he will take the trouble.I am getting very restleis & long to change In general I am loath to do so, but there is no tie whatsoever here, as I have had sick ness of some sort It is not likely that Mrs Chester od charge by Allan back, of course I dont mean that but for her to receive me.It made me sad to raad of the merry mefs party on Xmas day,& I could have quarelled literally with you all for enjoying yourselves last evng as I read your letter. You will think & with truth"she has now recovered her be