BLACKWELL FAMILY            KITTY BARRY          From Woodward, S.M.Woodward
[?]
[Northtown?] Road
Worthing
4th Dec: 1896

My dear Miss Barry,
When I saw you
last I asked you if you would
like to have a dog.  I rather
forget what answer you gave me?
Some friends have a dear dog, &
they would like to find a kind
home situated if possible a
safe distance from a butcher's
shop!  He has only one vice& that is carrying his [?] of raw meat--
to an extreme, so he is constantly
getting into trouble, & he gets a
good many whippings; but I think
your house being so enclosed might
break him of the habit.  He is
fed as much as possible on biscuits for
which he has no great liking--
I think he is a pure bred Yorkshire
terrier, very affectionate & intelligent
& I think if you decided to have him
you would soon get fond of each 
other.  Would you like to have him
after Xmas & see how you like him

& if you did not like him after a trial 
return him to his owner at Worthing?  
I am preparing
soon to receive Isolde Dannreuther [?] who
is going to travel with Phyllis on
the 17th from Hastings. Perhaps 
on her return she might take 
"Pincher" with her; it would be
better than trusting the poor dog entirely
to the mercy of the porters &c. His owner 
Mr Burt is a gentleman
fruit grower one of the first
after Mr Ralli who started in
that capacity, his wife is a friend
of mine & a very sweet goodwoman.  He has taken pupils and
they are starting successfully in the same work as Mr Burt.
It has struck me do you think
May Swinton would care to become
a pupil?  The training does not
seem to be quite like Swanley. 
I do not think it would try May's
health but strengthen her.
That seemed very hard for a delicate
girl, but Mr Burt trains very thoroughly
in fact whatever this young couple
undertake they seem to carry out
conscientiously.  The home influence
would be good, their house is very
pretty & both Mr & Mrs Burt are
artistic--I believe it would be the

very thing for May--I have only
known lately that they thought
of taking any more pupils or I
should have mentioned this to
you when I was last in Hastings.
I forgot to mention they have one
little boy of their own--I wish you
could know them for May's sake
for we think them rather out of the common.
I am afraid you will laugh at my
enthusiasm, but I feel if Mr and Mrs
Swinton could be persuaded to part
with May for a time these are just
the people that would suit her & thelife to do her good--I only wish
I had the money to start one of
my own daughters in an enterprise
of this sort, where there was an
object that must occupy all their
time & thoughts & give no scope
for emptyheadedness--and the
life among the fruit and flowers must
be a healthy one--Tell me what
you think about it--With kind
regards to Dr Blackwell & love to yourself
Yr very sincerely
[?] Woodward
P.S.  Where could I get a copy of

Dr Blackwell's autobiography, & what
is the right name of the book? I
should like to have one of my own
to lend.  I have read it
P.S. Please forgive corrections
Jack & Agnes are playing at
trains, & they are not quiet over it
either!