Show o a tJ T d 7 I S Si f fj M K I j i I ore At tt y SIR F C B Kt T 1 j q j Editor di of f Punch J on f Alfred Afred encore mee Back ck to Theobalds i ig P hy kiy 4 mJ mI et EDert ephs i t mere meic nobody The Ike quashed d dIhe Che Jein n puff putt olden Arue Bt t torner corner orner A poet cornered c d Two ot of a atra trade trad tra limits Unitta of humor bum 01 Ou patience The Tn fUh wa T tb tiM Ua treat hens hei A little CJ my m own wa d Rt mariner Es Escape Es cape epe St The e morning ID after afur Al U rr TeO ea 0 en ell nt Bad for fOl th bear Parting of the Wa WaNet ways a aNe Net Ne t PJ Pe Pez z LT to t return ret rn to my y Alfred fred BUT B Daring my 7 earliest rUe t days Laya on the tN Ui Punch Pun h staff II ut i I was wa frequently f a guest at Theobalds Waltham at that time about IMS INZ 1 and d for many years yeara after arter the delightful residence of ot my friend frie d Fred Freel Wilson Here it was that I first net t Alfred Austin whom as a I agreed with him on scarcely a agle eat sto stogie gie gle subject in literature art or mat m t tN social polemical or political i found a most meet charming conversational companion during the walks waka that we took for the sake of health and appe appetite appetite tite specially the latter hitter as aa being of im immediate immediate mediate and vital vt l importance I hate as does doe every everyone one a disagreeable com corn companion companion panion but a disagreeing one is just 1 exactly what any one ne absolutely re Ie requires quires to stimulate his bis own ideas The Th j who can agree ee to differ with without Without I out losing tits his bi temper or expressing his contempt for your Leek lack of intelligence inte i ace or your you perverted taste tute is the man of men or the woman of women t to ac accompany company you on a walk A walk em emphatically mind you ou not a drive or a aride aride aride ride by rail U a walk when you are not tied to time Uni but bat can stop atop for tor am argument amment ment went or to break its It thread by pausing pain to admire the view w for the picturesque i will Mil Jy be the one subject on which 1 you vo will be in ill perfect agreement 1 though thoU a you will differ durn as 8 to its beat best ex es exponents I on canvas va or or in books There I IB is sure aUN to be bea a sense nas of humor common n i ito to both of you Now what amused me tue intensely on these the visits Us was as that our most kind but b t decidedly d d eccentric host I M w who ho bo considered himself hi a poet of no noI I 4 I mean an order In a small way when we had bad retired for the last conversational pipe pe or cigar to 10 the snug smoking room I was Mas wont to lead the conversation in inthe Inthe Inthe the direction dir of ot recent poetry a sub subject subject on OIl which he be paid our Al Alfred 2 fred fled Austin the compliment of request requesting requesting ing his opinion as that of an expert As my IO taste tae for th the higher r poetry was wae wast t considered a in tte ot no consequence eo any attempt on my part in hi their thou discussion was superciliously disregarded I confess that at tint lint I was wan somewhat hurt hu when w hen ray my observations which were fou os complete ig tE ignorance i norance of 01 the poetic works they hap I M ned to be criticising ing were were treated d with undisguised ed contempt To Fo have recourse to jesting and satire resulted in ill total f attune laile I had bad to smoke n es ke and Sip pip my ElY whisky lly and water in ill silence and listen to their words of wisdom But Hut I soon amused this tb a fine passage age asked our host bo t reading inc from something of Alfred Austin listened a sad ad d then very Tery poon ro n put in a sharp ihs criticism where whore whereupon 1 upon poll UP ti argument ensued aued e They talked of Longfellow Brown Browning Browning ing M and and as they got cot on very well wen without my taking takina a hand haDd in the game I am pretty rett sure awe they tile thanked the Ute gods that had not made me roe poetical Now from flom a slight experience I had bad had bad privately tely of our hosts poetical capaci capacity ty t it occurred to me as something quite within the range rane of probability pr that I this 1 conversation tion was leading leadin to a eer certain certain tain tam d denouement and I thought to my myself self if jf I detect in their talk any incH indi indication cation of my suspicion being correct off I go 0 quietly and sans tIo bo to tobed tobed bed j i You Too said at my host h carefully I filling his bIB pipe and addressing Alfred said 14 you were welle now en engaged engaged on Oft some lame poems Alfred casually canally admitted the ue fact wo n you were wo we about to 10 bring brt out your our last went on Oft host Iio still eon con confining fining finine his conversation to the poet you read reed them to t me mey y Your critic ms were most moat valti valo valuable able ab replied the poet with greatest t courtesy Our host t accepted the compliment 1 I Iam Isun I am sun sure he said Id with a certain amount of that ut any author aut bor can obtain some ome good by allow allowing aile ailein I ing in a a friend who is quite unbiased to offer oWer This Thill was 11 a side hit at me nie as it was 1 wine owing to his absolute condemnation con of I Imy my most pretentious work that I had rewritten it entirely and had bad had it I accepted by Mark Lemon But I knew I what his hJ next neat remark would be and tude PO it O I said aid with an so air ait of nial gratl gratitude II IIO I Ito YetI Yes Ye that Is I so eo Then I turned to Alfred Austin Autin You see I said saidI I read something thin to Fred and aDd in con i of his bis criticism I 1 rewrote it it HIM and it tt was accepted for to or Punch I AI Alfred Austin did not appear very much impressed t by y the tile fact but I 1 was wu playing my y game same Do you follow me mel Watson and the to t happy baPP thought had occurred u to me of getting even with i imy my fellow pedestrian who during our oar I walk bad had assumed a haut en toa ba tone i with regard rd to my peculiar line of work rk literary and dramatic Fred i Wilson was much h gratified Wied naturally at my giving Jh this testimony to Us his i merits as a critic though he be e deprecated any inference that might mi ht be drawn thu 11 from this anecdote I as to O an Interface that might falsely i ibe I be drawn dlan as U to my early success sac in I lightest light literature and flimsiest form of drama II I 1 dont dO t pretend said Id Fred Feed 11 amok smoking ing steadily as he sat t in his easy I air arrayed ana in ia comfortable smoking mokI jacket and easy cuy sUPper Ho to to be a hu hit hur I In r n in ID fact tact there are few tew works w wJ c J humor humo either el in poetry or prose t tat 1 car for tor Tou Toi mean Man of course ne Alfred Alfr d put pat I 1 of 0 broad humor The a he continued in iD a co comfortably blY C nested nenad tone to I know what amuses i 2 and I 1 know what I like and in InI I 1 try I J can distinguish whatever er has haa 1 true ring In fact fatt it was wa only other day I was wu talking taUd to In my IQ I Blackett you w of ot Hurst Bant BantI Blackett I about your poems tl this a p 1 11 t pointedly to Alfred Austin se attention he ho thus thought to tot t taM BJ t has the highest I o CJ o MU r work ery j j of or him hint murmured m Al AI Ali i eit vA i Jy y v pleasantly tickled i j told yiu YU 1 i rc coming oo to o stay i and I r she sh ask uk yott If you ou id ti any in lii hat has w UI you J tell me meme meI 1 i hav t me ml see he arid uly Iy b h 11 t and appeared to be lie bei e eI I 1 ii i g t i H I some particular work g title itle I I Then hen n ui up he ht said sal to Alfred r II ini m it last tm t rn 1 uh h y yit uJ Alfr fj vi vit i lit it t I t t i I s omme commet ni l subject su dave ilave got gut It Ii you jw J t v v vho 1 ho host hostI t tV J I V y 15 lie J jI had ai you OU mind reading K It to me toe meI c 1 I UP jr hot ht h Jr ly R nit Ini f fI fI fI fW 1 I I I W 7 jive give him greater pleasure p asue than to t oblige Fred Pred Wilson Jut but pleaded that tut i it was rather rth I h I l TV i 1 that our Obi friend here i 1 1 1 probably pro be nt 1 t Not Mot t In the U it hIL st I 1 i and ani Fred Pred Wilson was nan kind enough it ti tl say flay ay that tM even en a hint bb It from m some inu 6 one J e who W dia not nit really rea fly appreciate al tue ue poetry Always way meaning me might he tie of some mimi i ian use t as an of what wat fly ity it In a general gen en ral w way y t 1 e again 10 a poem pem tn might Thus nUll pressed Alfred as If lg with indifferent grace fit Ui latch Catch him hi poems which we tr script Pt or O r proof and no DO sooner had bad be disappeared dt ppe ec than Fred putting t down Im j his t pipe pIxie observed to me m You remember that poem ol ed mine I mineI j you I liked so much r 1 I Should r T e ev it itI I ItI t tI I remembered and I e to this th very day how its ita recital rec with repe rope suggested t 4 alterations alteration at amend amendments merits ments or oi additions had bad me uj u but not absolutely a awake tm tIP lon past midnight in ba that t very vry v vh n oom h o yew ps yran T F readily I asked Alfred AstIn it r i iNo No 18 NoNo No No Oh what a ChaO said I F iy my s i sead 1 it to him bila himi u i 11 will wW y with stern stem and ami a tb went to fetch his nv t The ThO Poets Poet w vf was my opportunity opportunity Both poets poeta away the th third party goes to bed bee V Without more ado I retired chuck lung ling I could co ld 14 imagine the t theas e scene as I imagined fm it TO co q aa I 1 4 tie the N next nest morning it happened 1 Afred Austin unwillingly but Itt to gratify his bis host t read fead tuB his The host AFfied d wa wari to tt th the subject defended d fended yielded yit raised flattered his ble friend by bj promis promising ins ing to carefully consider the t suggestions he had so ro kindly kl made and was about to hint that it t was w time t for bed when his hW host boat t begged him kt i not D notto t io i hurry burtY as eta being comparatively early earty be ho him bim himself himself self elf was as Just going goin to to have bare a ve o one on more mOJe pipe of course ethe the last with Just t the he heery very ery rat fast nightcap of brandy an aJl arit i isoda soda before turning in Alfred AI natural naturally ly 11 acquiesced aCQ in his hio hosts heats genially ex es expressed pressed wish ish whereupon e 1 had bad as it were recommenced our host hoet producing some SQ pa m ma a portfolio p o which he be had 4 back bac backwith backwith J with him said v Now Ill IU Just read you a i i poem Imagine the i 8 tor Alfred Trapped Escape cape E im Im In not quite certain of some ot of It t aiA aad should value your opinion D I Ito re rel a ait it Lb to ine again acain some seine Jl time ago t Chough he be dO pru to toa give a O yet as i public he liked nult it immensely immen elf Jil j Poo Poc Po I Alfred There Tb he b a i plante la Our host boat h b t with w hiki i glittering eye ee as he be resi nIt aloud t t In terse Inverses verses erse about Green reen t Nothing Not Curtails etc At least t at this t hs is my one impression ion t tit of it after all these thE e yean eJI My M dear deu chap hap Austin con eon conr coni i r 1 i ti ni t n bral t sg with wit nu ou tur i noSi j l MI M i KI hour hui PUI tig f r dUn d gt got u it I KI h j fur tur tw t V after And nd what hat tho thi th 11 IK pa CI vas vai U I ab abu ut Im I re hanged If I know kno And you tire again you liked d it Who said sot 80 aked I him Fred did he answered giving g ing me methis this th det Qa as related ted i il Ab Abr I 1 returned i t doni donl suppose that at t 1 in th tb morning you od him that you yO didn t like Ii ke it eh ch ehr chi i i Somehow or another neither of us ra a afar far tar as s I remember was ever let ht in lii for far this sort of thing again But we Wi had ht great fun down there ir if tit the d when hn we e were e re younger than v i art ar now no and nee nce upon a time Fred Wilson W V ii decide upon apon having an D al at masque ma such MUch as Lord Burleigh had had tad in inthis inthis this very place our host h sU of Beauty anTI alft the Beast in wh eb Fred Wilson who had a very slim figure got himself tip ip as Beauty looking un on j commonly like the that t fit dances at fairs faira and that used to go about ut collecting pence for Jack in Green areen while Alfred Austin AUtt in was the Prince in velvet tights with a feath feathered red ered cap reminding me of the figure of Prince Charming in the colored prints priDie of an fairy story storybook storybook book bock and Bruin was waa represented by a atall atall atall tall sedate elderly gentleman a Mr Feetham by name if I remember right rightly ril ht ly Iy who strongly against his bis will nil had bad b d consented to make wake a beast of himself by bP hattiE being sewn eD up in a bears this occasion only What 1 I represented 2 J forgot or ot I 1 think I must mist have been a aport sort port of comic squire in attendant on In fl Alfred Austin as Prince But I am amnot amot not hot ot sure Anyway I was as ha a person If f po importance I know I had a cua c eVil d del So kel el given me but without t any tione tIo as a to its use u I 1 do not nol remember m r rny ny dialogue we danced a good goed deal dealon I Ion on the lawn la n taking part art in the went merri merriment ment meet of a school treat treM and when tile fun f n flagged we Alfred the Prince Prime I f the tile Squire set et to work to belabor the Bear who unable oh on of 9 the skin akin being tightly ti sewn up to tois ni his is arms and hit lilt us back baek again caiD peard eard through t his mask to be c cut ut to us in a stifled voice x Here I say Dont hit bit like that hurts I say ay confound it t f And nd then the Bear Bar bolted ie lawn awn wn and at haphazard bap ove flowerbeds hotly pursued by prince rInee and Squire both h with i and d cudgel getting et in one oie orv 0 f at t the fugitive tive whenever we I i with him bim On arriving indoors we 1 i ted him to himseLf eU a and his pardon for any w whack re e might d ht in the historic zeal real of the tk ko o oJ ment J ent aye ye given Sien b hI i Since that time when h Q the he t Laureate and myself mK made such suco UC 3 d kits hits we ha bave ve never De Y era ct gether ther and indeed h NIe ve met ht l tt on Very Tery rare raie occasion 1 To be ContInued V s Coi Copyrighted All rIghts re e t |