Loosely Based On The Twelve Days of Christmas
Dec 25
My dearest darling Edward,
What a wonderful surprise has just greeted me! That sweet partridge, in that
lovely little pear-tree; what an enchanting, romantic, poetic present! Bless
you, and thank you.
Your deeply loving
Emily.
Dec 26
Beloved Edward,
The two turtle-doves arrived this morning, and are cooing away in the pear-tree
as I write. I'm so touched and grateful!
With undying love, as always,
Emily.
Dec 27
My darling Edward,
You do think of the most original presents! Who ever thought of sending anybody
three French hens? Do they really come all the way from France? It's a pity we
have no chicken coops, but I expect we'll find some. Anyway, thank you so much;
they're lovely.
Your devoted Emily.
Dec 28
Dearest Edward,
What a surprise! Four calling birds arrived this morning. They are very sweet,
even if they do call rather loudly - they make telephoning almost impossible -
but I expect they'll calm down when they get used to their new home. Anyway, I'm
very grateful, of course I am.
Love from Emily.
Dec 29
Dearest Edward,
The mailman has just delivered five most beautiful gold rings, one for each
finger, and all fitting perfectly! A really lovely present! Lovelier, in a way,
than birds, which do take rather a lot of looking after. The four that arrived
yesterday are still making a terrible row, and I'm afraid none of us got much
sleep last night. Mother says she wants to use the rings to "wring"
their necks. Mother has such a sense of humor. This time she's only joking, I
think, but I do know what she means. Still, I love the rings.
Bless you,
Emily.
Dec 30
Dear Edward,
Whatever I expected to find when I opened the front door this morning, it
certainly wasn't six socking great geese laying eggs all over the porch.
Frankly, I rather hoped that you had stopped sending me birds. We have no room
for them, and they've already ruined the croquet lawn. I know you meant well,
but let's call a halt, shall we?
Love,
Emily.
Dec 31
Edward,
I thought I said NO MORE BIRDS. This morning I woke up to find no more than
seven swans, all trying to get into our tiny goldfish pond. I'd rather not think
what's happened to the goldfish. The whole house seems to be full of birds, to
say nothing of what they leave behind them, so please, please, stop!
Your Emily.
Jan 1
Frankly, I prefer the birds. What am I to do with eight milkmaids? And their
cows! Is this some kind of a joke? If so, I'm afraid I don't find it very
amusing.
Emily.
Jan 2
Look here, Edward,
This has gone far enough. You say you're sending me nine ladies dancing. All I
can say is, judging from the way they dance, they're certainly not ladies. The
village just isn't accustomed to seeing a regiment of shameless viragos, with
nothing on but their lipstick, cavorting round the green, and it's Mother and I
who get the blame. If you value our friends, which I do (less and less), kindly
stop this ridiculous behavior at once!
Emily.
Jan 3
As I write this letter, ten disgusting old men are prancing up and down all over
what used to be the garden, before the geese and the swans and the cows got at
it. And several of them, I have just noticed, are taking inexcusable liberties
with the milkmaids. Meanwhile the neighbors are trying to have us evicted. I
shall never speak to you again.
Emily.
Jan 4
This is the last straw! You know I detest bagpipes! The place has now become
something between a menagerie and a madhouse, and a man from the council has
just declared it unfit for habitation. At least Mother has been spared this last
outrage; they took her away yesterday afternoon in an ambulance to a home for
the bewildered. I hope you're satisfied.
Sir, Jan 5
Our client, Miss Emily Wilbraham, instructs me to inform you that with the
arrival on her premises at 7:30 this morning of the entire percussion section of
the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and several of their friends, she has no course
left open to her but to seek an injunction to prevent you importuning her
further. I am making arrangements for the return of much assorted livestock.
I am, Sir, yours faithfully,
G. Creep
Attorney at law.
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