312 REMINISCENCES OF 



Havering Atte- Bower, near Romford. A tremen- 

 dous hailstorm had destroyed all the crops and broken 

 all the windows. We saw the storm, but it did not 

 come within two miles of us. Next day we rode 

 over to see Albyns, Sir William Abdy's place, a 

 beautiful old Elizabethan house. All the diamond- 

 paned windows were broken, as if boys had thrown 

 stones ; and the gutters were full of ice — frozen hail- 

 stones. 



26th. — Went to Weald Hall, The Towers ; a 

 beautiful place and a beautiful lady. 



29th. — I went up to London, and went with 

 Charlie to Lady Susan Melville's, Belgrave Square, 

 to see Clem Campbell, who had just arrived from 

 abroad. She was looking so well. On coming 

 downstairs — the stairs were very broad and the 

 banisters very low — my foot slipped. I caught hold 

 of the banisters and my feet flew up in the air. I 

 went right over the banister, and landed on my 

 back on the marble floor. I held on till I nearly 

 touched the floor, and made my fingers bleed on 

 the banister ; but I was not hurt. Charlie rushed 

 round, and seized me by my rheumatic shoulder to 

 lift me up, which hurt much more than the fall, I 

 alarmed the ladies a good deal, but I was none the 

 worse. 



July. — Fife Light Horse assembled for drill at 

 Montrose. Mr. Millar most kindly lent me Rossie 

 House for the week, a charming old place. He 

 met us at the station on arrival, and said, " I have 

 sent in a ton of coals and a barrel of paraffin ; make 



