FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



going, but simply asked for instructions. These 

 were not very elaborate ; they consisted merely of 

 ;t Apologize for my absence to the chairman, read 

 the minutes of the previous meeting, and well, 

 do whatever else you think I should do." 



The members of the club met first at dinner 

 at the market-ordinary a function my father 

 did not think it necessary for me to take part in 

 and then adjourned to a large room attached to 

 the hotel for the transaction of the routine business; 

 followed by the reading of a paper and a discussion 

 thereon. The reader of the paper was a well- 

 known agricultural parson, the Rev. C. Clutter- 

 buck, rector of Long Wittenham, Berks, who was 

 a great authority on Thames floods, the subject 

 of it being " Arterial Drainage." The chairman 

 having taken his seat, I made my bow and 

 delivered my message, and then proceeded to read 

 the minutes. After this the presence of the waiter 

 was remarked, and forthwith most of those in the 

 room desired him to furnish them with a long 

 clay and something to fill it, and a glass of hot 

 brandy and water. It was clear to me that this 

 was the correct thing to do, and, as I was very 

 anxious to carry out my instructions, and to 

 maintain the secretarial character to the best of 

 my ability, I felt I must follow the lead given, 

 which I did. 



After the reading, during which everybody, 

 including myself, solemnly smoked and sipped, 

 the waiter again entered the room, and the pre- 

 vious orders were duplicated. With a stern 

 determination to do my duty at all hazards, I 

 took my courage in both my hands, and handed 



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