Alice’s letter to her father

Nine-year-old Alice wrote this letter to her father from their country house on the Welsh coast

Penmorfa,
Landudno.

My dearest Papa.

Many many happy returns
of your birthday, the 6th of Febry That
makes you (as you were born in “William the
Conquerors” time) 797 years old. Yesterday
we had another gale it left off at 12 Edith
and I had our beds moved down into Harry’s
room, we lay on two mattresses on the floor
and were very comfortable indeed little Rho-
-da had her little cot down into Mama’s
room where Pickey and Ina slept and
Mama was in the Blue Room, altogether
we were very jolly. We shall be very glad
to see you again. We are reading “Daisy
Burns,” we like it very much have you
read it? Mama has. We went to the town
today with Mademoiselle Dué Mrs.
Bagots governess. she ran after us to try
and catch us but she could[n’t] and we had
a great bit of fun. The sun made its first
attempt to make a sunset, there has not
been any [appearance] of one before to-day
since you left. I have been trying to illu-
minate I have not anything more to tell
you as I shall be able to tell you better
by mouth which is better than letter

I remain ever
Your affectionate and loving daughter
Alice Pleasance Liddell.

Thursday evening
5th of Feb 1863.