AUTHOR OF
"SOUTH WIND," "THEY WENT," "TOGETHER," ETC.
TO HIS FRIEND
EDWARD HUTTON
WHO PRINTED SOME OF THESE TRIVIALITIES
IN THAT "ANGLO-ITALIAN REVIEW"
WHICH DESERVED A BETTER FATE
CONTENTS
What ages ago it seems, that "Great War"!
And what enthusiasts we were! What visionaries, to imagine that in suchan hour of emergency a man might discover himself to be fitted for somework of national utility without that preliminary wire-pulling which wasessential in humdrum times of peace! How we lingered in long queues, andstamped up and down, and sat about crowded, stuffy halls, waiting, onlywaiting, to be asked to do something for our country by any littleguttersnipe who happened to have been jockeyed into the requisiteposition of authority! What innocents....
I have memories of several afternoons spent at a pleasant place near St.James's Park station, whither I went in search of patriotic employment.It was called, I think, Board of Trade Labour Emergency Bureau (orsomething equally lucid and concise), and professed to find work foreverybody. Here, in a fixed number of rooms, sat an uncertain number ofchubby young gentlemen, all of whom seemed to be of military age, orpossibly below it; the Emergency Bureau was then plainly--for it mayhave changed later on--a hastily improvised shelter for privilegedsucklings, a kind of nursery on advanced Montessori methods. Well, thatwas not my concern. One must trust the Government to know its ownbusiness.
During my second or third visit to this hygienic and well-lightedestablishment I was introduced, most fortunately, into the sanctuary ofMr. R----, whose name was familiar to me. Was he not his brother'sbrother? He was. A real stroke of luck!
Mr. R----, a pink little thing, laid down the pen he had snatched up asI entered the room, and began gazing at me quizzically through enormoustortoise-shell-rimmed goggles, after the fashion of a precocious infantwho tries to look like daddy. What might he do for me?
I explained.
We had a short talk, during which various forms were conscientiouslyfilled up as to my qualifications, such as they were. Of course, therewas nothing doing just then; but one never knows, does one? Would I mindcalling again?
Would I mind? I should think not. I should like nothing better. It didone good to be in contact with this youthful optimist and listen to hisblithe and pleasing prattle; he was so hopeful, so philosophic, socheery; his whole nature seemed to exhale the gold