An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

AUTOBIOGRAPHY 105 to join. This practically decided me to retire from business. On November 6th, a long before-lunch ride (24 miles). Jacobs came to talk about Cromwell. On the 12th H.G.R. won the T.H.H. Steeplechases at Roeliampton. On the 14th was the East Anglian dinner to Lord Kitchener, the Sinlar, at the Cecil. I went with E. Clarke's party, the speeches of Lord Kimberley, Lord Russell of Killowen, and Rider Haggard, all very poor indeed. "The Sirdar seemed very jolly and enjoyed himself, and made quite a good speech/' was my note at the time. At Norwich on the 18th and 19th, when I sold part of Anguish's house for £300, and bought a picture of Symons, " The Puritan Hawker." Over to Ficklin's till 21st. On the 22nd I went to Seymour Lucas' supper in honour of his R.A., Frith, R.A., Croft, R.A., Waller, and others there. About this time my wife's illness had materially in– creased, and she suffered greatly from fits of melancholic stupor. On December 3rd and 4th, a very trying ride to Cobham and came back the next day with a nice man called Waterhouse, who however misled me wi.th a "short cut," back by Esher near Molesey, Fulwell, Hounslow, Heston, Southwell, Greenford, Harrow, Sudbury and Willesden, over 31 miles of very vile roads before lunch. I was very tired indeed. as bad as I ever had been, and had to walk towards the finish. The fords by bank of Hendon very deep, and I could hardly get through on the 11th. On the 17th I railed to Amersham, and then by a hilly road by Beaconsfield to Bourne End and to Slough, wbere I slept at the "George," was very comfortable, and I had the "last" bottle of the port which Lor-d Beaconsfield affected in byegone times. In the course of time I got wiser, and eschewed the very last bottle of anything at a fabulous price. On December 18th coming back by Colnbrook Brent– ford, &c., I rode up Fitz John Avenue, with a heavy bag. Spent Christmas at P.B.F's., a little shooting, Major Holmes and his big sou Scott Holmes there. I shot a