The Henson Journals

[52]

Monday, December 1st, 1919.

I returned to Hereford by the morning train. As far as Shrewsbury I had the company of Mrs Ainsworth who was hastening to Ludlow where her husband lay ill from pneumonia in the Angel Hotel. From Shrewsbury to Hereford my companion was a young officer, Lieut. Cyril Crabtree, just demobilised on his return from Turkey. He was going home to Cardiff, where his father is headmaster of an elementary school.

Mr Homer from the Ministry of Labour arrived about 6 p.m. After dinner we went to the Town Hall for the Care Committee meeting. There was a good attendance. I made a speech. The new venture seemed to make a good start.

[53] [symbol]

Harold Cox acknowledges my MS. in a friendly note. He thinks it good, which is more than I do.

George writes two interesting and affectionate letters, the one dated from Colon, Panama Canal, on November 8th, the other from New York, on November 17th . They reached me by the same post. He had received five letters from me, dated respectively July 29th, August 11th, 21st, 31st, and September 15th. It is satisfying to know that they have come to hand. Alfred Fawkes writes to say that Mrs Humphrey [Humphry] Ward is writing a long letter to the Manchester Guardian on "The revival of Tests' (re: the Enabling Bill) and that she can count on the support of that paper. I wonder whether there is any likelihood of success in that line of attack, and whether the hour for successful attack has not passed. In any event the orthodox, as well Catholick as Protestant, are not likely to accept the leadership of that good but heretical novelist. "Robert Elsmere" is not precisely the type of divine for which there is just now any extensive demand in the parishes: and the supply is more considerable than valuable!

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