1860.01.29 Julius*
29 Jan 60 Julius Fyzabad Mother Hyde Park Place (West)
Fyzabad
29 Jan. 60 -
My dear Mother
I am indeed very sorry to hear of poor Aunt Robert’s death. I suppose one must try to think it was for the best, that as she had been for some time was merely a continuation in a state of misery and that death has put an end to it. It must have been a great trial to Robert. As my Father says, the will shows what a good heart she possessed.
I ought to have answered your letter, wishing me happy returns of my Birthday* (and which was accompanied by Helen’s first epistle of which you may be sure I am proud) – long before this but I, who do not generally complain of hard work, am really so worked, that I am afraid I shall soon be, as everyone foretells, done up.
Of course, these Indian people neglected to send targets &c. to us until the cold season had more than half passed, so we have to do the work, which at any time would have been hard enough, at least double as quick as we should.
I have always two, sometimes four Companies out with me all day, & not a short day like the London bricklayers, but my day’s work in the open air, extends from 9 to 10 hours.
I have besides a lot of office work & although I get up at dawn at 6 a.m. I assure you I can hardly find time to eat my breakfast, much less write a letter before it is dark, & I go to bed every night perfectly done up.
Everybody says it will be my own fault if I do knock up. I am entitled to an officer & a lot of Sergts. to assist me. I have a couple of the latter but when I have anything to do, that I want well done, I like doing it myself. I hope to get the whole thing over, at the rate I am getting on now, by the 15th March.
It is getting hotter & hotter every day.
I have drawn on Cox for £50 altogether, £10 more than I originally intended. I hope my Father will not grudge the sum, as it will possibly be the means of keeping in health during the hot weather.
I have got a sketch of my Bungalow taken by a chum of mine, in fact my Subaltern – very nicely done – which with two or three other little Pictures, I am going to send you [at] the first opportunity.
Do you care about seeing these Indian Newspapers, as I can send some occasionally if you or my Father would care about it.
Have you seen anything about Colnl. Gwilt. He ought to be visible about this time in London.
I never by any chance hear from Arthur & both John & I have had too much work lately to find time for mutual correspondence. All our energies being directed for the pursuit towards making men of our respective Regts. shoot tolerably.
I feel the hot weather is creeping gradually on us again, and then what a wretched sort of existence this is. Today (Sunday) is my holiday but I do not feel fit for anything, and to a tired man a letter is in general a trying thing – so for interesting or amusing epistles you must be content to wait until after this Annual Course of M.I.* is over, and then I will endeavour to suit you – in the mean time with best love to all & Helen.
Believe me, yr affect son
J D Laurie
* Birthday – 9th December (1839), his 20th
* MI – Musketry Instruction