186 "MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE!" 



Never were there such beautiful potatoes as waiters used 

 to squeeze out in a snowy shower on to your plate, and 

 the chops or kidneys were always perfect. It is not easy 

 to understand why Evans's ever came to an end, for no 

 other establishment has taken its place. However, 

 the National Sporting Club has made very excellent use 

 of the same building. The Bedford Hotel has been long 

 since pulled down. 



That also was the period when the Vokes family did 

 such wonders at the Drury Lane pantomimes, and when 

 Adelaide Neilson, in such characters as Amy Robsart 

 and Rebecca of York, was drawing the town. Amid it 

 all, I had a fatal aptitude for believing that I could do 

 wonders whenever I wished and that there was no need 

 whatever to worry about work in the interim. No one 

 could ever make a greater mistake ; but those were very 

 happy days. Even the dinners at the Inner Temple were 

 not unpleasant. 



