My dear Father

I was away on Friday Saturday, Sunday, Monday & on Tuesday I found the bason in which cleaned leaf was dried up having stupidly forgotten to tell them to give water. The leaf seemed all right & green except that there was a longish brown mark on one leaflet as if it was decayed, the uncleaned leaf seemed all right.²

I could start the thing again if you thought it worth while & will tell me as to cleaning.

When I got back on Monday I found poor Brindle had been taken ill moping on Saturday, & was very bad on Sunday foaming at the mouth & snapping and seemed almost dead by the evening, & on Monday morning Dick killed him— it sounds very like hydrophobia, & I see there have been mad dogs about. M^rs. C.³ says he snapped at Jet who was fastened to him on Sunday morning. So I have chained Jet up in dog kennel in back yard with a notice that no one should touch him. M^rs. C is anxious not to kill him straight off, so I shall wait & see if he mopes too much, as he is very miserable now. the back yard is more cheerful than the kennel & he is easier watched, & I think a strong chain is precaution enough with sheep hurdles to keep Dick away—

Your affect son | W. E. D

Dick does not think it was madness, but something to do with distemper his nose & face swelled up again as before