COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 203 



two coaches and let me drive one of them. We 

 had two teams each ; distance about sixteen miles. 

 Wright had no horses. His head groom was a 

 German and was always called Billy. He ran 

 away from Germany to avoid conscription, came to 

 Yorkshire, and worked with a farmer for two-and-six 

 a week. Wright took him into the stable and he 

 worked up to be head man. He talked horsey 

 language with a German accent. 



As we were leaving the course H. Chaplin 

 passed us in a carriage. I called out to him, " You 

 are coming to help us in Scotland next week ". He 

 waved his hand. 



The party at Kirby consisted of Nicholas Charl- 

 ton (newly married) ; Amcotts-Wilson and wife ; 

 Arthur Tempest and wife ; another Wright and wife 

 (she is Mrs. Charlie Wright's sister) ; Mr. Nesfield 

 (Mrs. Wright's father). 



13th September. — W. Skene invited me to come 

 to Pitlour to meet Sir Stafford Northcote, whom I 

 had not seen since we were at Torquay in 1871. 



On the loth we went over to Granton. Lord 

 Hopetoun met us there with his carriage and four 

 horses with postillions. He put Sir Stafford, Skene 

 and me inside and jumped up on the box himself. 

 Some one read an address of welcome to Sir Stafford, 

 and Mr. Raimes made a capital speech. We then 

 proceeded to Hopetoun, when addresses from all 

 Conservative associations were presented on the steps 

 in front of the house. Lord Waterford and Mr. 

 Chaplin were there. 



