COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 273 



had meant to say brothers. When Lord Roberts 

 said good-bye, the baby seized him by the nose 

 (which had already been barked by a branch). He 

 gently disentangled himself and remarked, " There is 

 plenty to take hold of ! " 



In July, 1894, we let Charleton to the Peases of 

 Darlington and we spent the summer at the farm. 

 On the 27th October I was very ill, and in November 

 went to London to consult Dr. Fenwick, and was 

 laid up at the Norfolk Hotel. We went on to 

 Bath. 



My daughter Olive spent the winter in Italy 

 with an American friend who afterwards married an 

 Italian marquis. She wrote my wife an amusing 

 account of a day's sport in Italy : 



" HOTEL EXCELSIOR, VARESE, 



"ITALY, 2nd December, 1894. 



' The laird will be amused to hear that we have 

 been out hunting. It was an odd performance, and 

 I must tell you about it. My host promised to 

 choose two good hirelings for us from Milan, and 

 we were given an introduction to a certain Mme 

 Leonini, the Mrs. Cheape of Italy. She came and 

 called on us on Thursday and was most kind and 

 helpful about the hunt, promised us a hearty wel- 

 come, arranged about trains, time and horse boxes 

 in fact godmothered us completely. Friday morning 

 we arose at cock-crow, trembling with excitement, 

 and got booted and spurred a whole hour too soon. 

 Began to write letters, forgot the clock, and as near 



VOL. II. 1 8 



