Part 7 (2/2)
dick
When the season at Oxford was over Richard returned to London and took a big sunny suite of rooms in the Albany Here he settled down to learn all he could of London, its ways and its people In New York he had already uished in various walks of life, and with these as a nucleus he soon extended his circle of friends until it becahout his life, Richard had the greatest affection for England and the English No truer Aht the United States and Great Britain were bound by ties that must endure always He admired British habits, their cos He loved their country life, and the swirl of London never failed to thrill hi the last half of his life Richard had perhaps as many intimate friends in London as in New York His fresh point of view, his very eagerness to understand theirs, made theer
LONDON, June 3, 1892
DEAR FAMILY:
I went out to the Derby on Wednesday and think it is theI ever saw over here It is SO like these people never to have seen it It seeot a box-seat on a public coach and went out at ten We rode for three hours in a procession of donkey shays, oons; every sort of conveyance stretching for sixteenthe sides to look on I spent rounds, which were like Barnum's circus multiplied by thousands It was a beautiful day and quite the ht of my life Much more wonderful than Johnstown, so you see itback, the people singing all the way and pelting one another and saying funny ieous They are on the first floor, looking into Piccadilly froarth's prints, old silver, blue and white china, Zulu weapons and fur rugs, and easy chairs of India silk You never saw such rooood servant, who cooks and valets ood care of et so the Leader of the House of Co hi here in the papers and wrote ht I lunched with the Tennants today; no relation to Mrs Stanley, and it was informal and funny rather The Earl of Spender was there and Lord Peot up and walked about and changed places and seemed to know one another better than we do at hoo down to Oxford for Whitsuntide, which is a heathen institution here which sends everyone away just as I want toyet I find it hard to do so I think I would rather wait until I get home for the most of it Chas will be here in less than a week now and ill have a good tio to Oxford and meet those boys, and then, if he wishes, on to Eastnor, which I learn sincemyself, it is needless to say, verythese first days in England Richard spent much of his time at Eastnor, Lady Bro's place in Lincolnshi+re, and one of the land Harry Cust, to whom my brother frequently refers in his letters, was the nephew of Lady Bro, and a great friend of Richard's At that time Cust was the Conservative nominee for Parliament from Lincolnshi+re, and Richard took a n Happily, ere both at Lady Bro's during its last few tense days, as well as on the day the votes were counted, and Cust was elected by a narrowadventures Richard afterrote at great length in ”Our English Cousins”
LONDON, July 6, 1892
DEAR MOTHER:
On the Fourth of July, Lady Bro sent into town and had a big Aht out and placed over the house, which was a great compliment, as it was seen and co of Boston, a very nice chap and awfully handsoraph the soldiers, and Lord Williaed them after me whenever I appeared It see an American run on the Fourth of July from Red-coats I doubt if the five hundred ht it as funny
They chased ht I would die The Conservative reatly, as the reatly His election takes place next Monday The men went in to hear the vote declared after dinner, and so did two of the girls, who got Lady Bro's consent at dinner, and then dashed off to change their gowns before she could change herthe fun and didn't want theone anyhich here the fighting was
And they showed real sporting blood and saw the other real sort There were three of us to each girl, and it wasand cheers and groans A political lish ones When we ca the Park to stop the row, and as we flew past, the tenants ran to the gate and cheered for the Tory victory in ”good old lopes” When we got to the house the servants ran cheering all over the shop and rang the alarm bell and built fires, and we had a supper at one-fifteen What they will do on the night of Cust's election, I cannot i and I enjoy it ih now to be as funny as we like without having them stare They are nice when you know thereat dinner at Farrar's All the ecclesiastical lights of England in knee-breeches were there, and the American Minister and Phillips Brooks It was quite novel and fun Lots of love I have all the money I want
dick
With Cust properly elected, Richard and I returned to the Albany and settled down to enjoy London froh my brother had been there but a feeeks, his acquaintances a the statesmen, artists, social celebrities, and the proeographical and historical knowledge of the city We gave many jolly parties, and on account of Richard's quickly acquired popularity were constantly being invited to dinners, dances, and less for these days there was little opportunity forlish people, but for a number of short stories which he wrote afterward in less strenuous tiust, and Richard went to Marion to rest frolish articles
CHAPTER VI
THE MEDITERRANEAN AND PARIS
It was, I think, the year previous to this that my mother and father had deserted Point Pleasant as a place to spend their summer vacations in favor of Marion, on Cape Cod, and Richard and I, as a matter of course, followed the village where a few very char was of the best In all ways the life was most primitive, and happily continued so for many years In, these early days Grover Cleveland and his bride had a cottage there, and he and Joseph Jefferson, who lived at Buzzard's Bay, andexcursions Richard Watson Gilder was one of the earliest settlers of the suuished members of the literary and kindred professions came there to visit hireat deal of sitting about on one's neighbor's porch and discussion of the latest novel or the newest art, or of one's soul, and speculating as to ould probably becoreat affection for the place, and after his e adopted it as his winter as well as his summer home As a workshop he had two roo rooe was literally covered with honeysuckle, and inside there were the old wall-papers, the open hearths, the s that had been there for generations, and all of which helped to contribute to the quaint peaceful ate just across the road, and around the corner Gouverneur Morris lived with his family At this time neither of these friends of Richard, nor Richard himself, allied thehts, but devotedtennis and contributing an occasional short story or an illustration to a popular ht, Richard often rereat deal of it At such times he had to depend on a few friends who came to visit hireatly attached It was during these days that he first met his future wife, Cecil Clark, whose father, John M Clark of Chicago, was one of the earliest of the sum and hospitable home it was, and it was in this same house where we had all spent so many happy hours that Richard was married and spent his honeymoon, and for several yearsthis later period, he becaral part, and perfor citizens with much credit to the town and its people For Marion Richard always retained a great affection, for there he had played and workedof which the quaint old toas possessed, animate and inaniood people of Marion loved Richard, the letters I received from many of them at the time of his death would show
In the early fall of 1892 Richard returned to his editorial work on Harper's Weekly, and one of the first assigno to report the Dedication Exercises of the World's Fair That the trip at least started out little toseeed with the hour, and it is more than possible that before the letter was sent he was enjoying hio with his usual kindly eyes
Chicago Club,
October 2, 1892
DEAR FAMILY:
Though lost to sight I a of you sadly It see in it for a few years I grew tired and got out on the prairie and walked along drinking in the pure air fro's and Cooper's advs After a brisk ten mile walk I reentered e hotel inhabited by a clerk and a regular boarder I am on the seventh floor without a bathroom or electric button--I merely made remarks and then returned to town in a railroad train which runs conveniently near After gaining civilization I h several parades or it ress wasreet on to my coat and on several occasions I was mistaken by a crowd of some thousand people for the P----e of W----s, and tumultuously cheered At last I found an inspector of police on horseback, who agreed to get ed about 300 woot ood to me