LORD DUCIE'S GENEROSITY 6x 



untried by me, which I hope may prove of some little 

 service to you. 



" Yours very truly, 



" DUCIE. 



" P.S. — I selected those most likely to suit you as 

 to height." 



On another occasion his generosity was tested in 

 rather a ludicrous manner. He was staying with me 

 (during his father's lifetime) for a few days, when dining 

 with us one evening at a neighbour's house, the lady 

 having seen some beautiful geraniums presented by him 

 to my wife, asked him if he could spare her a few plants 

 from his magnificent collection. 



" Oh, yes," was the ready reply, " a waggon-load 

 if you like," little suspecting that he would be taken 

 literally at his word. Such, however, was the case ; 

 for happening to be on a visit at Woodchester Park that 

 same summer, we were walking together, when the Earl, 

 seeing a waggon drawn by three horses coming down the 

 drive, exclaimed, " Whose waggon can that be, Henry, 

 coming towards the house ? " 



" We will see," was the reply ; when approaching it, 

 the driver stopped his horses, and dofhng his hat, with a 

 pull at his forelock, said — 



" Mrs. B.'s compliments, my lord, and has sent for 

 the geraniums." 



" What does the man mean ? " asked the Earl, in 

 surprise. 



" Hoh ! hoh ! " shouted Moreton, unable to control 

 a loud fit of laughter, " by Jove ! the little woman has 

 taken me at my word, and she shall have them, too." 



" Nonsense ! " I said, " this is too bad ; I really 



