An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

196 AUTOBIOGRAPHY On the 9th of April I shot a little better, 27 for 108. 1.'he weather was bitterly cold. On the 15th I did 24 for 78, which was four hits better than that which I made in the score of 134 last year. Bismuth and magnesia tabloids <lid me good, and on the 9th May I made a decent score, 25 for I IJ. On the 14th of May I tried another longish three days· Tide from Felmingham to Cromer and on to Holt, where I slept. Next day by Melton to Wood Norton (when I met Norris and daughter by accident) and on to sleep at Purdy's. Next day he rode with me as far as Reepham and Sall. All the summer I shot very badly in public. On the 25th to 28th I had my last long ride, railing to Bishop's Stortford and on to Hertford, where I slept (?) at the "Salisbury Arms," the new church chimes being a great nuisance and keeping me awake. Next day I went over what was left of Hertford Castle and on to St. Alban's, where a good lunch at the ''Peahen'' (the waiters bitterly -complaining of the place being spoiled by the new Loudon motor busses) and on by Liverstoke Green and Hemel Hempstead, where I slept at my sister's. On the 22nd I went on by Box Moor, pushing up a frightful hill by Borringdon and creeping down a worse one to Chesham, to Amersham (market day), lunch at an old-fashioned inn beyond, and by Beaconsfield down another big hill to Woburn, and in error by Little Marlow to Marlow, where I slept at then Crown." On the 23rd I came back to Woburn, and on by Cookham to Maidenhead, Boulter's Lock, across the river to Bray, round by Old Windsor to Egham, a good lunch at Stone's, "Anglers' Rest'' (where I unearthed some fine still champagne and sent some to Purdy), aud so on by Chertsey Bridge, by my old stopping-place to Walton, where I slept at Howlett's in his haunted room. The roads were lovely throughout. On the 23rd by Brooklands and St. George's Hill to Cobham, where I saw '' Bath Road Smith" for the last time. By Stoke d'Abernon, Bookham to Leatherhead (lunch at the ·'Swan''), and a slow ride by Epsom, Ewell, Cheam, Carshalt<m, and Croydon, where I slept at the "Greyhound/' which bad been utterly transmogrified and spoiled. Afterwards trammed up to Purley Old Oaks, once so pretty, now a mass of shops and villas. On the