An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

AUTOBIOGRAPHY III I was very ill, and went back for nursing at Hampstead. for some days. In March Doubleday came down about the County History, and I got rid of my old house at Selhurst, though only at a ruinous loss. 1 At Easter D.M.R. came down, and we made our first acqnaintance with a motor car to Mundesley. The next day we meant to go to .East Derebam but had a breakdown, and incidentally gave a fierce and offensive yard-dog at Honingham a lesson. He attacked the car most fiercely, and nearly jumped up and got in, but on returning we had laid in a stock of roadside flints, and several of us being very fair "picks" found his trunk till it resounded hollowly, and I don't suppose he ever attacked a motor •car again. Next day, however, we broke down again at Sculthorpe. Some time this month I went over Gissing Hall but was convinced nothing could be done with it, in spite of all its interesting associations. On the 17th March I made a hasty cross couutry journey to Edenbridge, to see my old · friend E.R.B., who was ill. I remember on the 25th April attending a capital lecture by the late Dr. Plowrigbt of Lynn on "Woad," which he had made his special study, and he gave me some seed which has kept going with me to the present day, when I think I am the only man who grows the still curious glaucous-leaved plant in East Norfolk. Marsh's '' daffodil tea" on the 1st May, to which I took Mrs. C., was as charming as ever. On the 3rd I went over to Lowestoft to see P.B.F.'s boys, then at school there and now prominent officers in the war. They were always very nice manly boys and have so grown up. The 6th May I rode over to East Dereham and back, and on the 13th had a 22 mile ride before lunch. I put up my Hampstead property for sale by auction on the 18th May, but both houses were bought in at a ~eserve of £6000. I am glad they were so, for I afterwards sold the bigger house for £4125, and the other is uow let -on a repairing lease of £175, say £3500, or together £7625. I was sorry to part with my Hampstead house for many reasons. Until the builder fiend drove me out of it with his hideous flats I don't know that I remember seeing a nicer old house and garden. No doubt, from the fact that broom and