" SLAPP'S " BAND 193 



in at 12. Consequently I am "gated" for a week. [This was 

 before the discovery of the ladder and Trinity wall.] He has been 

 sitting with me a long time this morning drinking beer. We ride 

 every afternoon : I found a very nice lady's horse of Master 

 Charles's, and of course they think it is mine. 



I managed my dinner far better than I could have hoped 

 it was really well done and the scouts made very few mistakes. 

 I had a string band playing the most choice selection of music 

 outside in the street all the time. I am going to repeat the 

 performance to-night. 



You perhaps do not know that I have a piano this term. They 

 leave here on Thursday. 



I expect I shall not be able to invest the timber money. 



The string band referred to was Slapp's Band, which 

 all my contemporaries must remember. Once when 

 returning hi the small hours from a dance where they had 

 been engaged, they favoured me with an impromptu 

 serenade in front of my windows. It was the John Peel 

 Galop, and I don't think I have ever been so pleased to be 

 " waked from my bed " as I was on that occasion. 



Now as to the second dinner referred to in the above 

 letter, I find one dated 28th November 1872 : 



I have just returned from seeing Mr and Mrs off at the 



station. We have had a very good time of it since they came. 

 I managed my second dinner everr with more success than the 

 first. The band outside carried it off with great eclat. Last 

 night I dined with them at 4.30, for I am "gated " and obliged 

 to be in before 6 P.M., and they spent the evening with me 

 afterwards. 



It may be gathered from the above, which is but a 

 sample of what was going on, that life at Oxford was not 

 being taken very seriously by me. Moreover, the allusion 

 to not investing the timber money is suggestive. I had 

 realised a fair sum by cutting down timber, and I suppose 

 I must have spent the money, but after all, what does it 

 matter now ? 



There came the time, at the end of our third year, when 

 we lived out of college, at 77 George Street, and very 

 comfortable it was, with a well-instructed boy to valet 



