Part 5 (2/2)

For two years longer the visits to Culham and Oxford recur at frequent intervals, and there is repeated mention of the names of old friends

Every event of interest that affects thees, arrivals, departures, promotions, bridesmaids' dresses--all are duly chronicled Once we are told of two irls shut up with some of his pet MSS by Mr coxe, the librarian of the Bodleian, as too busy to join theed from his den in a state of enthusiasm which satisfied even his require from ”his own clothes-brush and at his own hands,” for, ”learned dust as it e could not carry it through Oxford”

In 1847 the youngest brother, To accident at West to act in a play his cloak caught fire, and he was almost burnt to death Bessie used to tell how the little felloas found kneeling with raised hands, and praying aloud, in the midst of a crowd of terrified boys, whilst the flames leapt up above his head He was so much injured that it was more than a year before he recovered His first letter, written with the left hand and the greater part of it unintelligible, is to Bessie He is the little boy as pulling daisies for her in Magdalen Gardens, and telling of their golden centres

In 1848 Mr Wintle died at Culha with hihters started at once for Oxford when he heard how serious the case had become Mr Wintle had expressed a special desire to see Bessie, but he was almost unconscious when she arrived He was told that ”Little Blossom” had come ”Where is she?” he asked, and with a last effort stretched out his hand towards her

The pleasant home was henceforth closed to thereat-uncle also passed away in 1855, and though many friends reer a second hohton; and Bessie, who seems to have sent him a copy of ”The Sea Gull,” received from him a letter which she valued, and a copy of ”A Hymn and a Chant for the Harvest Home of 1847, by the author of _Proverbial Philosophy_” He wrote as follows:

FURZE HILL, BRIGHTON, _23d August 1848_

MY DEAR MISS BESSIE--An autograph of such affecting interest as that hich you have this e of a letter of thanks in reply And thank you I do very cordially; especially for having so soon and so a my verses with your melodious tones When they are quite ready, I shall look forith much interest to a manuscript copy; and I am not sure but that, some day or other, I shall run over and pay my respects at the palace, veryyou do justice to your own music I am sure you will not refuse me this, especially as here we have no piano; not but that I will go _toute suite_ to ask Miss Wagner or the Fraulein to give norant of the ”sweet sounds”

which you havehere to offer you in return for your ht be pleased to accept ”from the author” the enclosed Pray make my best respects acceptable to your father and mother and sisters, and believe ed and faithful friend, MARTIN J TUPPER

Miss Bessie Gilbert

In 1849 Bessie, with two sisters and a brother, paid visits in Ireland

One of her chief pleasures was in listening to the echoes at Killarney

Wherever she went the young blind lady called out warariffe to Cork they stopped at Gougon Barra to see the faht Bessie in thethat he was sure it would restore her sight, and entreating her brother and sisters to urge her to make use of it

This was the first time, since the visit to Liverpool, that she had been far fro at hotels; the novelty was refreshi+ng, and she liked the feeling that she also could travel and ”see” the world

The Bishop writes to Bessie on the 11th Septehton, as follows:--

Now I doubt not that you enjoyed the mountain scheme as well as any of them, and, with the aid of the ers, not o, however, I daresay, the more substantial viands which acco and all that, of course you treat that as heroines are bound to do--that is as trifles, where it is not convenient to exalt them above their true character

The ”Hospitable Hall” is that of Lismore, Archdeacon Cotton's house, where the travellers stayed for some tihter the following year, so that the visit was one of special interest

The Bishop had now a house in London, 31 Queen Anne Street, and the family life was divided between London and Chichester When she enty-one Bessie had the command of her own income One of her first acts was to subscribe to the Philharhter of an old friend of her parents, Mrs Denison (now Lady Grimthorpe), lived in the same street, and also subscribed; she used to call for and take Bessie with her The impression which Lady Grimthorpe received at that time was, first of all, ”How merry she is:” and next, what an intense appreciation she had of beautiful music, and what a happy, trustful confidence in those about her One night at the concert the gas suddenly went out, fears of an explosion hispered about, and many persons left the room Bessie put her hand in Lady Grimthorpe's and said: ”I have no fear whatever, with you Go or stay as you think best;” and they stayed

She would return froive such pleasure to her father by her animated accounts of them, that he learnt to associate her enjoyment with a scarlet cloak she then wore He said he would have her portrait taken, and in that cloak, for she never looked so well in anything else Some time later this was done by Sir W

Boxall, and the frontispiece to this voluives as much of the spiritual beauty and delicacy of Bessie's youthful face as the painter's art can render