The Henson Journals

[388]

Monday, September 11th, 1916.

770th day

I wrote a letter to Kathleen before breakfast. At breakfast we had a great political argument. Mr Verney & Sir Douglas Dawson against the pleasant little military man whose name I don't know, and myself. Then I took my departure, & it is to be noted that I gave £2 .2.6. in tips viz. £1. to the servant who 'did' for me, & packed my bags. £1. to the elderly flunkey who acted as my "Guardian Angel", & 2/6 to the footman who handed my bags into the railway carriage. I said 'Goodbye' to the Dawsons in friendly wise on the platform. Mr Austen Leigh came into the railway carriage, & introduced himself. He has become so stout and brown that I could not at first recognize him. He has been employed recently in teaching cadets at Oxford. Arrived in London, I drove to Westminster Abbey, & deposited my bags in the Porter's Lodge. Then I went to the Barber, & had my Phrygian locks curtailed and cleansed. Then I walked to the Athenaeum, & lunched. The Club swarmed with officers in khaki, the members of the Constitutional Club, evicted by the Government's requisition of their club–premises. I walked back to Westminster, & called on Caröe, whom I found at home, & had tea with him. Then I went to 3. Little Cloisters, and picked up my letters. Then I went to Hugh Rees Ltd, & brought two books as literary provender for tomorrow. Returning to Westminster, I fell in with Mr Wright, the Clerk of the Works, who gave me a vivid account of the destruction of the Zeppelin, which he witnessed from his windows. He told me that his son Walter has joined the Flying Corps, & is somewhere in France. Major Hills M.P. has not been killed, but his nephew. The Cathedral bell was tolled mistakenly: but happily the correct report had been received in time for Cruickshank to cut out his obituary notice from his sermon!

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