from Granny (Betsy) Armstrong
Home Up from Agnes Bell (Thompson) from Lewis Bell from MaryAnn Bell (Armstrong) from Granny (Betsy) Armstrong from AAT (Click) Bell from Annie Bell from Dr. George Bell from Helen McClure from Annie Foxton from Harold V Foxton from Helen Bell   Foxton Connections    Bell-Armstrong Connections   www.kihlstrom.com.au

 

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1. Letter written to Annie Bell, Betsy Armstrong's grand-daughter, serving in the AIF in France

Killearnan, Torresdale Road, Toorak, Victoria.. 

1 - 4- 1918
My dearest Annie,
The good news in your letter was a great surprise and delight to me & the rest of us here, as not even Mother had heard a whisper of it. I hope "the parents" have cabled long ere this giving their consent to your engagement. So you may be sure you have my very best wishes & congratulations. I am sure Major Foxton must be good & nice or you wouldn't have fallen in love with him. I know he is a very lucky man to have won yours. 

You are constantly in my thoughts just now with this dreadful fight going on . I think you nurses are wonderful to share the sights and sorrows you must see at such times. I agree with you that it must be better to be killed outright than to be badly wounded and yet it s wonderful to see how jolly some of the returned men are, who have evidently come through a really bad time.

Now for some house news. Mother is looking A1 and very happy with George & ??? both in the house. Jock telephoned from Tuppal?? on Saturday. He arrives in town late tonight and stays at Scotts.  Mother has already made you a tray cloth & says to give you her love - she is reading on the sofa.

Jimmy came up on Saturday afternoon & stayed to dinner. He & George discussed Alma & Cuthero, horses etc. Jim is still of the opinion that no place can come up to Alma. I am looking forward to hearing what your Mother thinks of Cuthero. There is no doubt that the country suits her better than town. I think she lives about too much in town, though like myself she prefers to be thin than too fat & she seems very well. I was sorry Agnes' engagement was broken off. Both Mrs. Howatson's maids are out today so Bess is keeping her company.

Mrs. A.
Notes:  
Bess, George, Jimmy, Jock (John?), Agnes - siblings of Annie
Major Foxton is Annie's future husband, also serving in France
"Mother" is Annie's mother
Mrs. Howatson  is a close family friend, who also wrote frequently to Annie - there was a Margaret and a Jean Howatson
Alma and Cuthero are properties in the Hay District, NSW