J M Barrie to Sylvia Llewelyn Davies - 1899

Description

Letter from Barrie to Sylvia, inviting her to the annual cricket match at Broadway. As Peter comments, "So the Christian name stage has now been reached ..."

Transcription

133 Gloucester Road, S.W.
22 June, ’99.

My dear Sylvia,
Do come to the cricket match at Broadway and help me to win by doing crooks in the pavilion. Friday week (30th) afternoon till Sunday is only two nights. You would be my guest of course, and Mary and I are longing to have you. Also there are twenty-two wickets for you to take, and you need not pretend (musketeers or no musketeers) that you don't like bowling at them.
You know how hugely delighted I shd. be if Arthur could come also but I suppose that is hopeless.
I thought you were to ask us to dine with you. Are you trying to get out of it?
Yours ever, J.M.B.

Peter's comments:

So the Christian name stage has now been reached.
"Doing crooks in the pavilion" is as Barriesque a phrase as as could be found. Vide Grizel’s crooked smile in “Tommy and Grizel”, on which he was now at work. (She had not had it in “Sentimental Tommy”).
I don’t know the significance of "musketeers or no musketeers.”