Overview
Sun Oct 19
Cycled to church – Rev Harris preached. Weather windy + rather cold. Went up to Kawiu Road for dinner at Maud’s invitation. Mr + Mrs Herd still away in Hawkes Bay farm-hunting. After dinner I took some photos : – (1) View from the veranda [sic] showing lawn, garden and native bush across the road also Maud, Olive, + Alice on lawn. (2) On lawn, Maud taking a snapshot of Olive + Alice. (3) The house from top of front hedge showing the garden, fruit-trees etc, and Maud on verandah. Afterwards Maud + I walked round garden + into Mr Vincent’s bush next door. In evening we decided not to go to church – Alice, Hugh + John also stayed at home. Maud + I sat by fire + talked + had a lovely time. When the others returned from church it was discovered that A[lice] was not in the house + further that the
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lady’s bicycle had gone – Ralph, Will + I went in search – on return after futile spin round town, I found that A. had come back + required [a] doctor, so hunted up Dr Young. Back to Kawiu Road for some supper – when I was leaving Maud that A had been unwell + melancholy for some weeks + that evening she had taken the bike + had gone to Lake Horowhenua to drown herself – that the shock of the cold had brought her to her senses + in a paroxysm of fear had gone to the nearest house – Mrs Cooper’s - + these kind people, mother + son, had brought her home. Marvellous are the ways of Providence – an attempt in any other directions might easily have proved fatal – the shallow, cold waters of the lake thus restored the poor girl to her right mind, evidently temporarily deranged. Poor
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Dear Maud has had enough to upset her, but she bore up most bravely.