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Lt. Col. Robert Story - Letters 1879
October 1879
Winchester
8.10.79
My dear Mother,
I almost anticipated something like your letter of this morning. The only thing which to my mind justified our going abroad was the consideration that the rent of our lodgings if sublet would cover our expenses, but I now find out it is not so easy to sublet them for a fixed time such as 10 weeks (for six months there would be no difficulty) so taking all things into consideration we have decided not to go.
The next consideration is a very simple one. Uncle Nevile, the Atkinsons, the Roes, Mrs. Burrowes, & Mrs. Godley, as well as Lord Farnham have all expressed themselves anxious for us to come to them not naming any time, but telling us to write to them - we might therefore avail ourselves of this opportunity of seeing some of these people. Besides I am sorry to say that for some time Floré has been very far from well & is greatly in need of a change, she is very much afraid of her mother knowing anything about this for fear she might come down here. I thought therefore that if Aunt Carrie could take us in for a while we might thence cross to Ireland for a portion, if not the whole of our leave. I am naturally very loth to give up our rooms here to turn into some uncomfortable & possibly inhabited ones especially in Floré's present state. She is too weak & frail to stand any knocking about or roughing it, & needs Susan's assistance very much.
I am in hope of being able to come to some arrangement so as to retain our rooms by paying a small contingent.
I heard from Colonel Hindman this morning that I would have no chance of joining until my tour here expired & that he would apply for me & Wells to be sent to Hythe. I had already spoken to Colonel Wombell on the subject.
I enclose a letter from my Munshi Rama Nund which may amuse you. The Hindustani translates as follows -
There is one thing that aftee full deliberation and talking it over with Floré I have decided on mentioning to, namely. The advantage of the Indian staff corps in point of money. At the best of times in a Britih Regt. even in India we must always be poor, and moreover have before us in all probability a long term of India.Honoured SirMay almighty God keep you honour together with your lady of an hundred excellences in all manners of happiness, long life, & full & complete felicity.This is my perpetual prayer.May your honor speedily come to this land & grant us who are careful of your welfare the boon of beholding you. Finis.Ram Anuud Pundit.Again in Persian:-May almighty God make your honor with your noble lady born under a happy star ever happy & joyful and full of wealth & years. And by speedily coming to this country may you by the sight of your honourable person accord us honour & glory. FinisDated the 10th September A.D. 1879Written by Ram Anund your honours Munshi (to add more would exceed the bounds of reverence)
Now from the conclusion have come to after carefully weighing the question is: that we could do better in the Indian Infantry and rather than be guided by my own judgement if you will get me Col. Williams' address I will write to him on the subject. There is s vacancy in his Regt. I fancy and should I get attached to it as a probationer I might do well to become a permanent member of it for I know the Regt. well. I couild not for anything serve in Madras or Bombay Staff Corps if I could help it; but my time is short (I have just 6 years service & cannot enter the Indian Staff Corps after 7 years). This is no new and sudden idea of mine; but I think it is a good one for many reasons.
I (mind I put I first here) am fond of India, get on well with the natives, can easily converse with them, & have no difficulty in passing exams.
Then for us both it will be economical & at the same time comfortable - Floré does not dread India, why she should I know not; weak as I am an Paradoxical as it may seem, the climate agrees with me - that last illness of mine being nothing more than I might have got if I had gone say to the Hebrides in intense cold for sport; only an illness of a different kind to one I might have caught in the Hebrides on a similar wild goose chase - as long as I went in for legitimate pursuits I was perfectly well - indeed so well that everyone noticed it.
Then again the Army is my profession - & everyone knows that the army in a short time unfits men for other professions; & further I have no wish to leave it.
I think with Col. Williams' help I might at least succeed in getting into the Bengal Staff Corps if not into the 8th N.I.
With love to Lou.I am your affect son
R. Story
Floré sends her love with many thanks for your letter.
November 1879
On crested paper
Near London & Staines, Windsor?
The Oaks
Winchester
7.11.79
My dear Mother,
I have today sent in my application to be appointed to the Bengal Staff Corps - after seeing both Gen. Strephenson and Gen Hawley on the subject I came to the conclusion that it was the best thing I could do & for the best I hope it may be. I have written to Gen. Stephenson and Gen. Gough asking them to help me, so with their influence I hope to get a good appointment.
All is however, as yet, uncertain - my application may even not be entertained.
From what Tatlow told me I am sure you were right in accepting Lord's offer for Bingfield and it is a good thing not to be bound down to so long a term as 5 years. Taplow objected to take charge of the Keys, but I would suggest that as their present place, is undoubtedly very damp, they be put into the drawer of Uncle Robert's chest of drawers which opens with a Brahms Key - this you can easily have done. In the China closet in addition to the keys I placed there is a large basket full of old, rusty keys - these of course might be left alone.
Your share of my travelling expenses comes to £3, which I hope you do not think too much.
My letter was broken off here two days ago, & since then I could not find time to finish. Floré also was writing to you, but being unable to finish tore up her letter & will send a fresh one.
We both wish you many happy returns of your birthday & good health for many years to come.
On Thursday we went to London & Floré saw Dr. Priestly who spoke very cheerily of her. but said that she was not strong and required care. The we went on to Ballard who did a little to Floré & appointed a time for tomorrow; afterwards we lunched with Mrs. Geddes where we joined Aunt Carry - the old lady is deaf & nearly blind & quite doting, very trying it must be to Aunt Clara to live with her; Aunt Carry was so good & amusing, keeping us in fits of laughter all the time.
After lunch we went off to Conduit Street - I to my tailor and Floré to Miss Ayers where I joined her - then we wet home only stopping to get a prescription made up in Bond Street.
I have just had such a nice letter from Gen. Stephenson promising to do all he can for me, but advising me to bring Indian interest to bear on the subject as much as I can.
Yesterday morning Uncle N. & I drove over to Staines to see a dog cart which he bought; & the whole party of us afterwards went to an afternoon dance at the Star & Garter Richmond - this we all enjoyed very much - Miss Jane Lefone dined - such a pretty, cheery girl.
Today Floré & I are staying at home as she is naturally a little tired afted yesterday. I think your request about the furniture a most reasonable one, but I would suggest that an inventory be taken of all the things in Salisbury Lodge that are, or will be, mine, - this inventory not to contain what you wish me now to make over to you, this to be on a separate list. I will then sign the inventory & you countersign as an acknowledgement of my claim & place the document in a safe place among the papers. The inventory need not be very full; i.e. a complete list of all the plate would certainly not be required - it might be put as "All silver & plated articles" or something of that sort. I could the write you a letter handing over to you what you required.
As I am likely to be leaving this country for an indefinite period I think I ought to have a copy of my Father's will & my Marriage Settlements - this I think very necessary, & would like to get them at once. I could then be in posession of information which I now have not - for instance I am not aware under what provision you can sell the carriages etc. but not the House & Furniture of Bingfield - this & like things I ought to know, as the ignorance of them occasions difficulties. I myself also possibly ought to make a will.
Tomorrow we hope to go to London again, to see Doctor & Dentist again.
Floré sends her love &
I remain
your affect son
R. Story
Congratulate Lou from us on her success.
The Oaks
Winchester
17.11.79
My dear Mother,
Many thanks for the Cheque.
The falling through os communications with the Forbes was most unfortunate and was simply the result of of its being carried on in a triangular way. Tatlow also I think managed badly for he allowed his temper to get the better of him.
I had a very nice letter from Arthur Forbes enclosing a letter from Tatlow to Mrs. Forbes which was to say the least of it hardly courteous, and did not at all convey what I expressed to Forbes in conversation, and afterwards to Mr. Tatlow, as to what I (for you) wished in the event of their proposing to renew their proposition for Bingfield.
I cannot help (& I hope you will pardon me) being amused somewhat by part of your letter. You & I, my dear Mother are not the least likely to quarrel about business matters, although we certainly do not look upon them in the same light always. As you know I have hitherto taken very little interest in my own affairs knowing them to be in good hands, but now that I have someone to think of besides myself & also am a little older than I was, say, 5 years ago, I have to shift for myself much more, & consequently ought to be in posession of facts which before I took no interest in. As to my objecting to anything you have done; the idea never came into my head. One remark of yours however I cannot quite agree with. I don't see how any "Management of my affairs" could have bettered my income, unless you mean that I ought not to have married: that may be true but I venture for very good reasons to think otherwise.
One question still I would like settled. We had no definite agreement as to what each of us would do with Bingfield - this could easily be settled between us without reference to any third person. The question was raised in my mind by your saying that you cannot afford to keep two men in the place. Now as I, at you request pay about ½ the cost of keeping it in order, I think I ought to benefit by any redustion in that cost. I do not wish to interfere in any way with your arrangements for the place, but I am sure you will see the necessity of our coming to some definite understanding in order to prevent the possibility of any difficulty arising when I am at a distance such as that between here & India.
These things that we have done for each other hitherto have been done out of pure affection and good will; let not then such miserable details as I mentioned cause any diminuition of our affection, but let us look at the questions straightforwardly as ones which had better be settled & done with.
Do not think me grasping or miserly if I did not at once hand over to you what you asked in the way of furniture as I told you above - I simply wish to know what I am doing & not to take things sop much for granted as I have hitherto done.
As regard to your present position with the children, There is now no doubt that my Father's will was a most unfortunate one for all of us, even for myself; but such being the case we must see what we can do to mend a bad job. My desire to go into the Bangal Army is simply caused by this consideration; for I am fully alive to the fact that I am the eldest son of a large family.
My plans have. I am happy to say. settled themselves in the most fortunate manner. My leave remains as before and we are comfortably provided for up till the end of it. I will tell you our movements as we go on.
Truly Mrs. Bush is beyond endurance - she cannot leave us alone - Aunt Carry had three sheets from her, & I a letter from Mr. B. evidently written at his wife's request; to both the shortest possible replies have been sent with due regard to politeness.
I am most anxious to hear about Louisa or from her. I do trust her cry is no longer that we are all against her and nobody cares for her. If she knew how much we all do care & think of her, she would soon put aside that idea. I write to her also by this post i.e. my letter of yesterday goes today.
My puppy comes today, so I must go at once to meet him at the station.
Floré is on the sofa and getting oin very well indeed. She sends her love with mine & I am
Your affect son
R.Story
| Date | 1879 |
| Linked to | Lt. Col. Robert Story |
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