adventures and letters-第43章

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　I　have　only　read　the　reviews　of　it；　and　they　are　so　enthusiastic　that　I　must　have　the　whole　thing　quick。　　It　was　such　a　fine　thing　to　do　about　Poe；　and　to　give　those　other　two　fetishes　the　coup　de　grace。　　It　reads　splendidly　and　I　want　it　all。　　What　did　Dad　think　of　the　Inauguration　article？　　I　send　you　all　my　dearest　love　and　will　have　lots　to　tell　you　when　I　get　back　this　time。

God　bless　you　all。　DICK。


Richard　left　Florence　the　latter　part　of　May；　and　went　to　London　where　he　had　made　arrangements　to　report　the　Queen's　Jubilee。　　He　began　his　round　of　gayeties　by　being　presented　at　Court。　　The　Miss　Groves　and　Miss　Wather　to　whom　he　refers　in　the　following　letter　were　the　clerks　at　Cox's　hotel。


LONDON；　June　2nd；　1897。　DEAR　FAMILY：

I　was　a　beautiful　sight　at　the　Levee。　　I　wore　a　velvet　suit　made　especially　for　me　but　no　dearer　for　that　and　steel　buttons　and　a　beautiful　steel　sword　and　a　court　hat　with　silver　on　the　side　and　silk　stockings　that　I　wore　at　Moscow　and　pumps　with　great　buckles。　　I　was　too　magnificent　for　words　and　so　you　would　have　said。　　I　waited　a　long　time　in　a　long　hall　crowded　with　generals　and　sea　captains　and　highlanders　and　volunteers　and　cavalry　men　and　judges　and　finally　was　admitted　past　a　rope　and　then　past　another　rope　and　then　rushed　along　into　the　throne　room　where　I　saw　beefeaters　and　life　guardsmen　and　chamberlains　with　white　wands　and　I　gave　one　my　card　and　he　read　out　〃R。　H。　D。　of　the　United　States　by　the　American　Ambassador〃　and　then　I　bowed　to　the　Prince　and　Duke　of　York；　Connaught　and　Edinburgh　and　to　the　American　Ambassador　and　then　Henry　White　and　Spencer　Eddy；　the　two　Secretaries　and　the　naval　attache　all　shook　hands　with　me　and　I　went　around　in　a　hansom　in　the　bright　sunshine　in　hopes　of　finding　some　one　who　would　know　me。　　But　no　one　did　so　I　went　to　Cox's　Hotel　and　showed　myself　to　Miss　Groves　and　Miss　Wather。　　I　went　on　the　Terrace　yesterday　with　the　Leiters　and　at　O'Connor's　invitation　brought　them　to　tea。　　Labouchere　was　there　and　Dillon　just　out　of　jail　and　it　was　most　interesting。　　I　am　very；　very　busy　doing　nothing　and　having　a　fine　time

DICK。


LONDON；　June　21；　1897。　DEAR　MOTHER：

Words　cannot　tell　at　least　not　unless　I　am　well　paid　for　it　what　London　is　like　to…day。　　In　the　first　place　it　is　so　jammed　that　no　one　can　move　and　it　is　hung　with　decorations　so　that　no　one　can　see。　　Royal　carriages　get　stuck　just　as　do　the　humble　drayman　or　Pickford's　Van　and　royalties　are　lodging　in　cheap　hotels　with　nothing　but　a　couple　of　Grenadier's　in　sentry　boxes　to　show　they　are　any　better　blooded　than　the　rest　of　the　lodgers。　　I　also　added　to　the　confusion　by　giving　a　lunch　to　the　Ambassador　and　Miss　Hay　in　return　for　the　presentation。　　Lady　Henry　and　Mrs。　Asquith　sat　on　either　side　of　him　and　Mrs。　Clark　had　Asquith　and　Lord　Basil　Blackwood　to　talk　to　There　was　also　Anthony　Hope；　the　beautiful　Julia　Neilson　and　her　husband　Fred　Terry　and　Lady　Edward　Cecil　and　Lord　Lester　It　went　off　fine　and　the　Savoy　people　sent　in　an　American　Eagle　of　ice；　decorated　with　American　flags　and　dripping　icy　tears　from　its　beak。　　It　cost　me　five　shillings　a　head　and　looked　as　though　it　cost　that　in　pounds　To　night　I　dine　with　the　Goulds　and　then　go　to　a　musical　where　Melba　sings；　Padewreski　plays　and　then　walk　the　streets　if　I　can　until　daybreak　as　I　think　of　making　the　night　before　the　procession　the　greater　part　of　the　story。　　I　send　you　a　plan　showing　my　seat　which　cost　me　twenty…five　dollars；　the　advertised　price　being　125。　but　there　has　been　a　terrible　slump　in　seats。　　Love　to　dear　Dad　and　Nora。

DICK。



LONDON。　89　Jermyn　Street；　June　25th；　1897。　DEAR　MOTHER：

The　Jubilee　turned　out　to　be　the　easiest　spectacle　to　get　at　and　to　get　away　from　that　I　ever　witnessed。　　Experience　in　choosing　a　place　and　police　regulations　made　it　so　simple　that　we　went　straight　to　our　seats　and　got　away　again　without　as　much　trouble　as　it　would　have　taken　to　have　gone　to　a　matinee。　　The　stage　management　of　the　thing　almost　impressed　me　more　than　anything　else。　　For　grandeur　and　show　it　about　equalled　the　procession　of　the　Czar　and　in　many　ways　it　was　more　interesting　because　it　was　concerned　with　our　own　people　and　with　our　own　part　of　the　world。　　Next　to　the　Queen；　Lord　Roberts　got　all　of　the　applause。　　He　rode　a　little　white　pony　that　had　been　with　him　in　six　campaigns　and　had　carried　him　on　his　march　to　Candahar。　　It　had　all　the　campaign　medals　presented　to　it　by　the　War　Department　and　wore　them　in　a　line　on　its　forehead；　and　walked　just　as　though　he　knew　what　a　great　occasion　it　was。　　After　Roberts　came　in　popularity　a　Col。　Maurice　Clifford　with　the　Rhodesian　Horse　in　sombrero's　and　cartridge　belts　and　khaki　suits。　　He　had　lost　his　arm　and　was　easily　recognized。　　Wilfred　Laurier　the　French　Premier　of　Canada　and　the　Lord　Mayor　were　the　other　favourites。　　The　scene　in　front　of　St。　Paul's　was　ab　solutely　magnificent　with　the　sooty　pillars　behind　the　groups　of　diplomats；　bishops　and　choir　boys　in　white；　University　men　in　pink　silk　gowns；　and　soldiers；　beef　eaters；　gentlemen　at　arms　and　the　two　Archbishops。　　The　best　moment　was　when　the　collected　troops；　negroes；　Chinamen；　East　Indians；　West　Indians；　African　troopers；　Canadian　Mounted　Police；　Australians；　Borneo　police　and　English　Grenadiers　all　sang　the　doxology　together　in　the　beautiful　sunshine　and　under　the　shadow　of　that　great　facade　of　black　and　white　marble。　　Also　when　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　without　any　warning　suddenly　after　kissing　the　Queen's　hand　threw　up　his　arm　and　cried　out　so　that　you　could　have　heard　him　a　hundred　yards　off　〃Three　Cheers　for　Her　Majesty〃　and　the　diplomats；　and　foreign　rajahs　and　bishops　and　Salvation　Army　captains　waved　their　hats　and　mortar　boards　and　the　soldiers　ran　their　bearskins　and　helmets　on　their　bayonets　and　spun　them　around　in　the　air。　　The　weather　was　absolutely　perfect　and　there　were　no　accidents。　　Last　night　the　carriages　were　allowed　to　parade　the　streets　and　for　hours　the　route　was　blocked　with　omnibuses　hired　by　private　parties；　coster　carts；　private　carriages；　court　carriages　and　the　hansoms。　　The　procession　formed　by　these　was　two　hours　in　going　one　mile。　　They　passed　my　windows　in　Jermyn　Street　for　three　hours　and　a　party　of　us　sat　inside　and　guyed　the　life　out　of　them　until　one　in　the　morning。　　We　got　very　clever　at　it　finally　and　very　impudent　and　as　the　people　were　only　two　yards　from　us　my　windows　being　on　a　level　with　the　tops　of　the　buses　and　as　we　had　a　flaring　illumination　that　lit　up　the　street　completely　we　had　lots　of　fun　with　them　especially　with　the　busses；　as　we　pretended　to　believe　that　the　advertisements　referred　to　the　people　on　the　top；　and　we　would　ask　anxiously　which　lady　was　〃Lottie　Collins〃　and　which　gentleman　had　been　brought　up　on　〃　Mellin's　Food〃　We　had　even　more　fun　with　the　swells　coming　home　from　the　Gala　night　at　the　opera　and　hemmed　in　between　costers　and　Pickford's　vans　loaded　down　with　women　and　children。

They　called　on　us　for　speeches　and　matches　and　segars　and　we　kept　the　procession　supplied　with　food　and　drink。　　Nobody　got　mad　and　they　answered　back　but　we　were　prepared　with　numerous　repartees　and　they　were　apparently　so　surprised　by　finding　a　party　of　ladies　and　gentlemen　engaged　in　chaffing　court　officials　that　they　would　forget　to　reply　until　they　had　moved　on。　　One　bus　driver　said　〃Oh；　you　can　larff；　cause　your　at　'ome。　　We　are　'unting　for　Jensen　on　a　North　Pole　Expedition。　　We　won't　be　home　for　three　years　yet〃　Charley　seems　very　happy　and　he　got　a　most　hearty　welcome。　　I　shall　follow　him　over。　　I　do　not　think　I　shall　go　when　he　does　as　that　would　mean　seeing　people　and　getting　settled　and　I　must　get　the　Greek　war　done　by　the　12th　of　July　and　the　Jubilee　by　the　15th　of　August。　　I　know　you　will　not　mind；　but　I　have　been　terribly　interrupted　by　the　Jubilee　and　by　so　many　visitors。　　They　are　running　in　all　the　time；　so　I　shall　try　to　get　the　Greek　war　article　done　before　I　sail　and　also　have　a　little　peaceful　view　of　London。　　I　have　seen　nothing　of　it　really　yet。　　It　has　been　like　living　in　a　circus；　and　moving　about　on　an　election　night。　　I　am　well　as　can　be　except　for　occasional　twinges　of　sciatica　but　I　have　not　had　to　go　to　bed　with　it　and　some　times　it　di