An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

94 AUTOBIOGRAPHY the '' White Lion," Cobham, where (Bath Road) Smith stirred p my friend's wrath by more or less truthfully describing his bike as a bundle of old gas-pipes. I rode over the Hog's Back-they walked-and we had a first lunch on the summit. At Farnham "Lion and Lamb" occurred a fine example of uncalled for jealousy, and we rode on to Alton, and on to sleep at Selborne. I rode all bills well with my bag. Rode to Liss. It was Election time, and unknowingly to him H.H., who is a hot Radical, carried a Conservative poster on his back-bag. Railing to Red Hill I rode to East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells (tea at Edenbridge) on business to the "Swan," slept there, next day to Victoria by train. Met Dr. Back for the first time at Seymour Lucas'. With Gray to Rickmansworth by rail, then rode by Loudwater and to \,Vatford, Oxhey and Harrow Weald, Stanmore (walked H. Lane), Kingsley Green) and Willes– den, about 24½ miles before lunch, and beat him easily, though he was hiking and I triking. On the I 8th of June, I sent on my trike by rail to Norwich, where I met Willis the C.C. Judge, in the Smoke Room at the Maid's Head for the first time. He wa~ . s overbearing as he ever was, and talked about what Jessell wou1d have decided in a certain case, and seemed huffed when I said, •· But you're not J essell," which caused some amusement to some local solicitors, who told me who he was, The next day I rode by Cossey to Dereham in 1.40, carrying an 18 lb. bag. On this occasion was the discovery of the hoard of old milk punch which caused much excitement, then rode round by Swanton Morley and Bylaugh, Bawdeswell a::i.d Cawston, copied MSS. a:id back by North Elmham. Coming home, at Norwich I beat A.L.R. at billiards by more than he gave me! He ran at the Norwich Sports and did about 4-45 over grass. I went round the City with Miss McNab and her sister to see the illuminations and :fireworks, etc. The 21st was very hot, so back to London. On the 3rd of July I trained to Cheuies and over the very hilly and bad roads to Hemel Hempstead, having en route made the acquaintance for the first time in my life of the typical stage rustic with his smock frock and peculiar stage dialect.