CHAPTER XV. 



THE SECOND AMERICAN TOUR. 



Why the Tour was Repeated Early Part of the Season of 1884-85 Some of the 

 Hardships of a Lecturer's Life Lecture on the Horse at Brixton A Pre- 

 diction Verified Departure for America Lectures on board Ship Arrival 

 at Boston The Agent interviewed First Lectures A Noisy Audience 

 " Bribery and Corruption " Intense Cold Break-down of Arrangements 

 The Western Tour abandoned Lecture at La Crosse A Fatiguing Journey 

 Monotony of Railway Scenery Seventy-two Degrees of Frost The 

 Journey back to Boston A Grasping Booking-clerk The Value of a Roll 

 Profits on a Week's Hard Work Political Excitement Last Lecture 

 Departure in the Cephalonia Failure of the Tour Mistakes in the 

 Business Arrangements Passage Home A Few English Engagements 

 Summary of the Season Refusal to pay a Third Visit to America English 

 versus American Lectures. 



IT had been well for my father, in more ways than one, 

 if he had rested satisfied with his first visit to America, 

 without deciding to repeat it in the following winter. 

 He would then have escaped much disappointment and 

 much failure, to say nothing of the consequent absence 

 from the English platform during two successive seasons. 

 But several causes conspired together to bring about his 

 return. 



In the first place, he had in some degree pledged 

 himself so to return, before leaving for England. 

 Forgetting the proverbial love of the Americans for 

 novelty, and forgetting that he himself at a second visit 

 would be a novelty no more, he imagined that the 



