CHAPTER XXXI 



Lord Salisbury's Valediction Phil May, 10 Downing Street 

 Dark Days Appreciation of Horatio Bottomley Success 

 of The Parson and the Painter A New Artist I With Phil 

 May at Newmarket More Financial Trouble Colonel North 

 Steeplechasing at Lingfield What to do next ? The Special 

 Commissioner Am well received Good Company William 

 Easton and the December Sales Arrange a Sale in U.S.A. 

 The International Horse Agency and Exchange develops New 

 Life 



IN that same issue of St Stephen's Review, 7th February 

 1891, appeared Phil May's last work for the paper. 

 It was a portrait of Meissonier. I wrote the sporting 

 article for a month or two more and at last ceased from 

 doing even that. On gth June 1891 1 received the follow- 

 ing letter : 



FOREIGN OFFICE. 

 DEAR MR ALLISON, 



Lord Salisbury is sorry to hear that S* Stephen's Review is 

 no longer to have the benefit of your guidance. He does not doubt 

 that any journalistic enterprise which you may inaugurate cannot 

 fail to derive advantage from your management. I am yours 

 faithfully, 



SCHOMBERG K. M'DONNELL. 



v 



The above had special reference to an explanation I 

 had sent giving the reason why a series which Phil May 

 and I had been about to commence in St Stephen's was 

 not now going to appear. It was entitled Statesmen 

 at Work, and we had done " Lord Salisbury at the 

 Foreign Office," thanks to his kindness, very well indeed. 

 That was to have been the first of the series. Mr W. H. 

 Smith at 10 Downing Street was to have been the second, 

 and hereby hangs a rather amusing tale. I had got the 

 appointment all right for Phil May and myself to go there 



33i 



