CHAPTER VIII 



Jex-Blake and his Influence How I saw him at Assouan Mr 

 Gubbins and Sam Darling not Egyptologists Jex-Blake and 

 the Victor Wild Verses He leaves Rugby for Cheltenham 

 Rugby Contemporaries The Rifle Corps I defeat Humphry 

 at Shooting Stevenson Other Notables Blair Athol's 

 the Blood Through Four Forms in Four Terms Concerning 

 the Sixth " Jex " and my " Character '' The Rabbit 

 Supper 



TO say that I was sincerely attached to Jex-Blake 

 is but a very mild statement of truth. His 

 influence was always for good, and I only wish 

 that he had remained longer at the school. What manner 

 of influence he had may be judged from the following 

 story. It happened, during the period now under notice, 

 that I wanted, from sheer idleness, to absent myself from 

 a German lesson one afternoon, and asked Jex-Blake for 

 permission, alleging that I had a headache and felt unwell. 

 He immediately agreed, and then, within ten minutes, 

 though I do not pretend to have been a George Washington 

 at any time, I felt it was not the game to tell lies to old 

 " Jex," and sat down at once to write him a letter owning 

 up that there was nothing the matter with me, and that I 

 was very sorry. I left this in his room when I had seen 

 him go out, and very soon I got an answer : 



DEAR ALLISON, 



Quite right. I always did believe you unreservedly 

 and I always shall. 



T. W. J. B. 



The subject was never mentioned again, but it is needless 

 to say that I never again abused his confidence. That 

 was a man who knew just how to touch whatever good 

 principle you had in you. 



90 



