The Henson Journals

[153]

Saturday, October 26th, 1912.

We finished our packing & left the Embassy by the morning train i.e. we left Washington. Before leaving the house I photograph [sic] Mr & Mrs Bryce with Ella on the steps. Thus we travelled to Philadelphia, admiring the scenery on either side of the line. The brilliant sun shining through the leaves made a brave show. When we arrived at Philadelphia, we parted, Ella going to Brynn Mawr at once; & I turning aside to lunch with Mr Stuart Paterson at his club. He had brought together a very interesting company, including a fine old man with a caustic tongue & a cheerful spirit, Mr MacVeagh, who did most of the talking, & Bishop Rheinlander. Most of the company were evidently strong Republicans (Taftites) but Rheinlander was a Bull Mooser, & MacVeagh professed himself hostile to them all. I inquired how these great campaign funds were used, & I was assured that the American farmer in many cases expected payment for the time spent in voting; & did nowise regard himself as accepting a bribe. Mr McVeagh's denunciations of the millionaires were good to hear. He told with much relish how he had been entertained at dinner by old Cornelius Vanderbilt, & had congratulated him pleasantly on the entertainment in these words:

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"Mr Vanderbilt, you have got together a very notable company: fifteen millionaires & one gentleman".

I was pounced upon by reporters after lunch, & dictated to them some opinions on multi–millionaires & female suffrage. Then I went to Bryn Mawr.

Here I found some letters and a telegram from the Dean marked official, asking me whether I would accept the Deanery of Durham if it were offered me, & I replied that I would. As the telegram was already 3 days old, I made no delay in sending an answer. If, as seems most probable, since the Dean added 'official' to his message, this telegram was sent at the request of the Prime Minister, then I have pledged myself to take a step which bisects my life, cutting me off at every point from what I have grown into. There is so much in it which I dislike – leaving the Southern Province for instance, & going so far from London. Moreover, I know nothing certain as to the conditions of that Deanery. In any case I shall be straitened for money, & the in getting must needs be very costly.

Miss Thomas had invited some of her professors, of both sexes to dinner: & the time passed well enough, save that I myself was rather pre–occupied with my own affairs, which made me duller than was expected!

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Issues and controversies: appointment to Durham; female suffrage