LADY ON THE WEB

I see that I have been most remiss in posting. Unfortunately, I have been suffering for some months from a return of the old trouble, a weakness in the lungs. The relative mildness of the atmosphere of Cloudmere is beneficial for this, but its dampness is not.

There was a charming scene last Saturday, on the High Street: As a light snow fell, a small band, with trumpet and tuba, played and sang Christmas carols. They were dressed in Victorian garb. I could not stop long for them, as I was obliged to guard my nose and throat from the chill air, but, in the crowd of spectators, I recognized Group Captain Margate, holding forth with a will, and I waved to him from across the way.

I have gone forward in my chronological Gissing study, having absorbed Born in Exile, The Odd Women, In the Year of Jubilee, Eve's Ransom, The Paying Guest, Sleeping Fires and The Whirlpool. The Margate Memorial Library has of yet been unable to obtain Human Odds and Ends, so my current book is The Town Traveller. Miss Underwood and I look forward to the time when we can read Gissing's "daily book," but we are agreed in wishing to delay that pleasure until we have gone through his fictional oeuvre.