The Henson Journals

[432]

Monday, September 8th, 1913.

Archie & I started in an Argyll car, and travelled easily enough but under a dark & humid sky to Helensburgh, where we lunched at Seaside with Ella & her relatives. After lunch the three of us motored to the Argyll works at Alexandria, where we were courteously received by Colonel Matthew, the manager, & shown over the works. He told me that as many as 1600 workpeople were there employed. Of these a certain number are women & girls, who do the polishing, & the upholstery of the cars. A garden city is in contemplation: no non–Union men are employed, so at present no friction obstructs the progress of the industry. We had tea with the manager; & then started homewards in Parker Smith's car, which had been undergoing repair. On the way we were overturned at a sharp corner just beyond the village of Winchboro. We escaped without injury to life & limb: but were bruized & shaken. Such wounds as fell to my own share were on my head. We essayed to return by way of Edinburgh, & did so slowly, the local train being 40 minutes late. We arrived at Linburn shortly after 11 p.m.

[433]

The effect of the accident was felt in much stiffness of neck–muscles, & shown in an unhandsome wound on my temple, but mostly in a general lethargy, which indisposed me for every form of activity. I loafed in the garden all Tuesday, which was a glorious day, sunny & warm from start to finish. On Wednesday, the weather had deteriorated, &, though I lay out in the garden for awhile, I did not enjoy myself. Kathleen was about the right age for me, & we became the fastest of friends. The party dispersed on Wednesday except ourselves, & we took our departure on Thursday, the 11th. We motored in to the Waverley station (14/–) and took train to Ballinluig. At Perth we changed, & on the platform fell in with Mitford Mitchell & Fleming. Here Ella seceded in order to attend some foolish wedding function, & I continued my journey alone. At Ballinluig I got out with the baggage; only to find that I ought to have gone on to Grandtully. A helpful young porter obtained a vehicle for me, & so I arrived at Pitnacree House, where Mrs Glasford Bell, in some hospitable perturbation as to my fate, welcomed me. She sent off a telegram to Ella in order to prevent her repetition of my error. To this telegram an answer was received stating that Ella would not arrive until the following morning. This did not surprise me: but none the less caused me some discontentment.

[434]

There came to dine a somewhat prim & formal ecclesiastic, the Dean of Edinboro. Of this divine the story runs that at the last vacancy of the titular see, he greatly coveted election, & actually was carried by his desire to the strange indecency of voting for himself! But, even so, he failed of his purpose. He spoke of the Scottish vice of drunkenness, & said that he had known men who had been members of "Thirteen tumbler Clubs", drinking associations whose members were pledged to such mighty potations! For some years he had been chaplain to the Episcopalian soldiers in the Castle at Edinboro. He said that the troops also degenerated when quartered there: & this he ascribed to the absence of suitable recreations. The Episcopalian Chapel here is said to date from the Restoration, but to have declined in importance of recent years; mainly on account of the non–residence of the local proprietors. He asked me to preach next Sunday, but I made divers civil & sufficient excuses.

Mrs Ord Marshall is staying here: she was the organizer of the "League of Empire" expedition of Australian Cadets. I happened to mention Bury's objectionable "History of Freedom of Thought", expressing my resentment at it; & she observed that she knew the Author well, & was surprised at the character of his book, for, though undoubtedly hostile to Christianity, he was a man of weak health, & shy temperament, who would seem little likely to be so militant.

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