walked a matter of ten miles a day from Evesham to Bretforton, taking
Aldington and Badsey on the way, and back at night. He filled up the
interval between the incoming and outgoing posts at Bretforton,
working at his trade as tailor. Entering our village each evening, he
announced his arrival by three blasts on his tin horn; he was very shy
of being observed in this performance, and the people had to catch him
as he passed and hand him their letters. He must have walked nearly
100,000 miles in the many years he was our postman, and he told me
before I left that more letters were addressed to the Manor when I
first came, than to all the rest of the houses in the village
together. When correspondence became more general a pillar-box was
erected, but I always regretted the loss of the familiar notes of the
tin horn.

Among Aldington's amusements no account would be complete without a
reference to the numerous concerts and entertainments for charitable
objects which my wife organized, and in which her musical talent
enabled her to take a prominent part; and although I feel some
hesitation in dealing with so personal a matter, I am certain that
many of those who co-operated with her in the organization and the
performance of these affairs will be pleased to have their
recollections of her own part in them revived.

She possessed a natural soprano voice of great sweetness and
flexibility, in combination with the sympathetic ability and clear
enunciation which add so much to the charm of vocal expression. She
was not allowed to begin singing, in earnest, before she was nineteen,
for fear of straining so delicate a voice, and she then had the
advantage of the tuition of Signor Caravoglia, one of the most
celebrated teachers of the time.