By Anna Clutterbuck-Cook, Reader Services
Today we return to the 1917 日记 of Gertrude Codman Carter. You may read the previous entries here:
September’s entries are heavily illustrated with drawings and photographs. Having just moved into Ilaro, Gertrude supervises continued construction at the site while managing the household in her husband’s absence. Domestic drama includes the “letting go” of a servant who “couldn’t stand the stairs” of the new residence, and the hiring of a replacement — actions that do not endear Gertrude to her staff.
The war intrudes on the household once again as Gertrude receives a letter from the 殖民部长’s office with instruction for the conscription of her automobile in the event of an attack by the enemy. 在这一切之中, Gertude continues to live a life of social obligation and voluntary labor as part of the Self-Help group and other island committees.
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9月1日.
给芭芭拉寄了50美元.
搬到伊拉罗. Toppin & 小,伊迪丝 & 诺拉· & Ada, who couldn’t stand the stairs after all. We had our first dinner there on the marble verandah & 非常可爱.
9月2.
打开 & 试着安定下来. 约翰 & I slept in the (字迹模糊的) room. 这样的乐趣.
9月3.
早上7点起床.m. & the house full up with very busy workmen,clanging & banging, sawing and jawing, [missing fragment], taping & 刮,修补 & 抓,自锁 & detaching whatever was wrong, which happened after.
Our meal was rather full of coral dust but Topping was zealous & managed quite wonderfully for his age.
9月4.
Marked out servants quarters.
夫人. Skeet came by to look at it.
I stopped at Charles Hayes at 6.30，并与夫人. 滑落.
9月5日.
These little figures were made for a scale model of Ilaro, to gauge the height and width of doors.
9月6日.
10.30 Civic Circle met at (字迹模糊的) Park.
9月7日.
Called Chelston for washing. 放弃了艾达 & hired Rosina, a girl of the Cawfields. This, it appears, was considered by everyone below stairs as a fearful faux pas. I got no less than three anonymous letters on the subject, which outraged Bailey beyond measure.
9月8.
约翰开始写信 & headed it “Ilaro Court limited.”
“What does it mean, 约翰?” — “Oh – just what it means on the honey bottle!”
9月9日.
小伙子去喝茶 & a little (字迹模糊的) out. He is very appreciative of my powers as an architect.
9月10.
Miss Hatfield called about the Easter Féte for my advice. I became a sort of unofficial Chairman of the Committee & advised in a Sybelline manner.
9月11日.
To photographer with 约翰. (字迹模糊的) had sticks — both of them.
约翰卡特
4.在夫人 . .洗澡. 哈罗德•怀特.
9月12日.
自助会议
又是[听不清]小姐.
Laddie later for a spin.
9月13日.
[entry obscured by a typescript letter from the 殖民部长’s Office]
保密.
圆形.
No. 19.
殖民部长’s Office, Barbados.
一九一七年九月十四日.
夫人,
I am directed by the Governor to inform you that the Defence Committee will require transport facilities for the Defence Force in case of enemy attack. On the “Alarm” being sounded you are requested to send your motor car No. M158 to (字迹模糊的) where it will be available for use in accordance with order issued by the officers of the Force.
2. A driver, and the necessary supply of Petrol, spare tyres, etc. should be available with the car.
3. The Government undertake to recommend to the Legislature that compensation be paid for damage caused by enemy action.
4. The “alarm” consists of the firing of five rockets from the Harbour Police Station, and the firing of powder charges from two 9 pounder guns, at the Garrison and the Reef respectively.
5. The Defence Committee’s recommendations are based on the assumption that you will readily co-operate with them in arranging transport facilities in case of attack. His Excellency has therefore asked me to obtain from you a statement to the effect that you have made arrangement of a kind to ensure prompt dispatch of the car whenever the “Alarm” is sounded.
I have the honor to be,
夫人,
Your 大多数 obedient servant,
T.E. 下降,
殖民部长.
9月14日.
同上.
“Toppin. Five minutes before the arrival of the Gubernatorial Party.”
9月15日
The Probyns came to see the house.
9月16.
Mr & 夫人 (字迹模糊的) to see house.
I dined at the Laurie Piles.
9月17日.
拍卖检查.
I dined at the 哈罗德•怀特’ – a 大多数 有趣的夜晚. 哈罗德•怀特 & 男孩 & Mr Fell played an uproarious game of bridge in which they were respectfully alluded to as the army, 22耶户吩咐掌管礼服的, 还有政府 & every now and then a large land crab would come in & 地板上的运动. 我带着费尔先生 & 汉弗莱上校回家了 & my car began to wheeze just after that & I found that it was in for a 长 这次是疾病.
9月18日.
[听不清]太太来了 & 获取了 & took me back to Brittons for bitters.
9月19日.
租了辆车 & 带着夫人. Carpenter to an auction in the country. 我们有一个野餐午餐. 很大的乐趣.
9月27日.
汉弗莱夫人 & 多琳去喝茶. 雨下得很大 & we had no where to go but in & then it was only a courtyard.
I dined with the (字迹模糊的). 愉快的晚上.
9月28日.
忙在家里.
男孩打电话.
9月29日.
(字迹模糊的). 夫人去野餐了 & 带我去了荒凉山庄. Had (字迹模糊的) drove 夫人 Carpenter. 我们有苦味 & 三明治 & 美好的时光.
9月30日.
Laddie drove me out to the Charlie Haynes’. After dinner we worked all of us on the (字迹模糊的). We saw Lady (字迹模糊的) toes out of the window!
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