126 EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 



and decide on promptly ; the first is about 

 getting up in the morning, and the other whether 

 I shall shave or not shave for the rest of my 

 days. 



In the days of my slavery, which already 

 seem to be away back in the past, it had been 

 my custom and compulsory habit for some 

 scores (yes, scores!) of years to eat my porridge 

 at 7.30 A.M. Shall it be 8, or 8.30, or say 

 9 o'clock in the future ? Why not ? There is 

 no compulsion now. " You can do as you like, 

 you are your own master " so says the tempter ; 

 "why make a fuss about lying a-bed for an 

 extra hour or two. It will do you good ; you 

 are old and need it." I have hitherto resisted 

 this insinuating tempter, and, through much 

 tribulation and exercise of conscience I loathe 

 the idea of such self-indulgence I have hitherto 

 come off conqueror. It has been settled that I 

 must get up at my usual hour. 



After breakfast, on this my first morning of 

 freedom, instead of sallying forth to my old 

 work I sat me down in my arm-chair, and I 

 began to think profoundly so profoundly that 

 in a short time I fell asleep, and there for an 

 hour and a half I enjoyed that delicious, balmy, 



