FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



a pint of sherry, as I well remember. I may say 

 that this was well in excess of my needs, half the 

 quantity mentioned of meat and drink being 

 amply sufficient. But I was anxious to create a 

 favourable impression, and so thought it good 

 policy to do the thing handsomely. The waiter, 

 soothed by a tip, was communicative, and willingly 

 responded to my inquiries respecting the locality 

 and its inhabitants. We mutually agreed that 

 its main weakness was a lack of the bustle of life, 

 and what it chiefly wanted was a livening-up ; in 

 fact, it was undeniably Thame in a double sense. 

 Having arrived at this conclusion, I requested my 

 informant to convey to the landlord that I was 

 desirous of converse with him. 



The latter having joined me, I delicately sug- 

 gested to him that on this, my first visit to Thame, 

 I could not fail to be struck with its general air 

 of sleepiness. He agreed, but counselled me to 

 come and see it on market-day, when it would be 

 at its best. I then pointed out what an advantage 

 it would be if people in large numbers were attracted 

 to it, and public interest were focused upon it. 

 People who were induced to visit the town might 

 then become permanent residents in it. He 

 cordially acquiesced in this, but did not see how 

 it was to come about. That brought matters to 

 a point, which enabled me to hint that, if the 

 views we had exchanged were endorsed by the 

 inhabitants generally, I had reason to believe 

 that something definite might accrue from it. 

 The fact was as I explained in a burst of confi- 

 dence an important agricultural organization was 

 considering in what favoured locality it should hold 



34 



