Lady Victoria Campbell

HOME FOR GOOD 65
I have had a good many long walks with Knowles
lately ; the roads just now are in such a dreadful
condition. The soil here is very sandy, and when
it rains the roads are in a state fit neither for man
nor beast. It is dreadful hard work for the beasts.
The other day we drove to see the Campbells.
The little bit of road leading down to their house
was so bad, that the coachman and horses that they
hired struck work, and said it was too much, as
they were not very strong beasts, so they have got
to get another pair.
What a shame it is, the horses being killed !
Why were not Jones' horses used, or, at any rate,
the Tarbet horses sent on to meet them ? We are
expecting Lady Dufferin to luncheon.
It is now half-past nine in the morning, and the
thermometer outside in the shade is 60°, and the
flowers are quite lovely. I hope Mama will get the
box all right that Dot has just sent her by the
railway ; they won't let them go by the post now.
I suppose they think as the flowers are becoming
so plentiful it would become troublesome, as people
are so fond of sending them, at least they only
make objections to them to England. They go
from one part of France to another quite easily.
People here are very busy getting up picnics. On
Monday Libby and Dot are invited to a large party
of Lord Dalhousie's for the Islands. There are a
good many people going : Mr. Milne, the Scotch
minister, the Kintores, and the Balfours, and I