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10 August 1887 — Coole Park, Gort, County Galway | |
Wednesday. 10th August [1887]. Helped Augusta to prepare little presents for the workhouse children in the morning & went up to the wood with her to help her to pick flowers for her large vase. We found a lovely spot in the wood bright with tall masses of yellow & we brought some of it home. At 3 the Gregorys waggonette & 2 cars arrived bringing 30 workhouse children, the Master & schoolmistress & the nurse. We marched them off to a little gravel pit in the woods where a fire was made & the kettle boiled, tea made & the children sat down & were fed with bread & jam of which Lady Gregory had provided a tea tray full. They eat till they were sated & had even to return large pieces—then they went nutting in the woods. The tiny children were packed into the donkey cart driven by a cripple boy & a dozen of them were carried in this way. The elder ones climbed the trees & Henry & I went along helping the girls who could not reach the nuts by bending down the trees for them. They all filled their pockets & their aprons & were overjoyed. One little fat girl clung to me & capered & chuckled when she showed me her apron full. They said she was an orphan. She was very amusing & affectionate & patted my face when I stooped down to her. Lord Gough & Miss Arbuthnot & Miss Welby came over to call & came down to the wood to see us. We took the children back to the house thro’ the woods. The little ones in the cart gained confidence & sang as they went along & we gave them green boughs to flip off the flies. They were supremely happy. When we got back to the house & the children were collected & placed in a row Lady Gregory gave them apples & plum cake & each some little toy or present. They were then packed into their vehicles & driven off home; by the time they left it was seven o’cl. | |
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