COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 91 



others walked with their governess, and then dinner 

 hours were later, so they dined and early visitors 

 lunched with them. 



" We twice had a house in Edinburgh for the 

 winter. They had masters, and they always spent 

 the evenings and all their spare time in the drawing- 

 room, and often they danced in the evenings (always 

 when grandpapa was with us), and the little things 

 had a window with their own little table and toys so 

 as to be my companions. John can tell you of these 

 days. 



" Perhaps you will think I lived a very idle life. 

 I did not. I read a great deal and worked, and as 

 I had to spend many months on the sofa before 

 some of the children came I could not get out 

 much. 



" My uncle, Lord Keith, paid us a visit, and 

 the Flauhauts twice, and the Willoughbys offered, 

 but a storm on the Forth stopped them. It was 

 before the days of steamers. Lord Willoughby 

 gave John's father shooting, so he used to go to 

 the Highlands every year. 



" In '29 we went to Leamington for his health. 

 He had always suffered much at times, and, as 

 John knows, we latterly saw few people but my 

 father, aunts and brothers, and a blessing they were 

 to me. 



" It was always my father's desire to cherish the 

 affection between my brothers and myself, and it 

 has proved a comfort while they were spared, and 

 John's father fully shared in it ; and we tried to 



