adventures and letters-第52章
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in the bet described in the following letters。 The boy slipped quietly away from London； but a few days later the bet became public and the newspapers were filled with speculation as to whether Jaggers could beat the mails。 The messenger carried three letters； one to my sister； one to Miss Cecil Clark of Chicago； whom Richard married a few months later； and one to myself。 As a matter of fact； Jaggers delivered his notes several hours before letters travelling by the same boat reached the same destinations。 The newspapers not only printed long accounts of Jaggers's triumphal progress from New York to Chicago and back again； but used the success of his undertaking as a text for many editorials against the dilatory methods of our foreign…mail service。 Jaggers left London on March 11； 1899； and was back again on the 29th； having travelled nearly eighty…four hundred miles in eighteen days。 On his return he was received literally by a crowd of thousands； and his feat was given official recognition by a gold medal pinned on his youthful chest by the Duchess of Rutland。 Also； later on； at a garden fete he was presented to the Queen； and incidentally； still later； returned to the United States as 〃buttons〃 to my brother's household。
Bachelors' Club； Piccadilly； W。 March 15th； 1899。 DEAR CHAS。
I hope you are not annoyed about Jaggers。 When he started no one knew of it but three people and I had no idea anyone else would； but the company sent it to The Mail without my name but describing me as 〃an American gentleman〃 Instantly the foreign correspondents went to them to find out who I was and to whom I was sending the letter I told the company it was none of their damned businessthat I employed the boy by the week and that I could send him where…ever I chose。 Then the boy's father got proud and wrote to The Mail about his age and so they got the boy's name。 Mine； however； is still out of it； but in America they are sure to know as the people on the steamer are crazy about him and Kinsey the Purser knows he is sent by me。 After he gets back from Chicago and Philadelphia； you can do with him as you like until the steamer sails。 If the thing is taken up as it is here and the fat is in the fire； then you can do as you please I mean you can tell the papers about it or not Somerset holds one end of the bets and I the other。 There are two bets： one that he will beat the mail to Chicago； Somerset agreeing to consider the letter you give him to Bruce； as equivalent to one coming from here。 The other bet is that he will deliver and get receipts from you； Nora and Bruce； and return here by the 5th of April You and Bobby ought to be able to do well by him if it becomes； as I say； so far public that there is no possibility of further concealment You have my permission to do what you please He is coming into my employ as soon as he gets back and as soon as the company give him a medal。
Over here there is the greatest possible interest in the matter At the Clubs I go to； the waiters all wait on me in order to have the latest developments and when it was cabled over here that the Customs' people intended stopping him； indignation raged at the Foreign office。
of love；
DICK。
89 Jermyn Street； S。 W。
March1899 DEAR NORA：
This is to be handed to you by my special messenger； who is to assure you that I am in the best of health and spirits Keep him for a few hours and then send him on to Chicago As he is doing this on a bet； do not give him any written instructions only verbal ones。 I am very well and happy and send you all my love Jaggers has been running errands for me ever since I came here； and a most loyal servitor when I was ill On his return I want to keep him on as a buttons。 See that he gets plenty to eat If he comes back alive he will have broken the messenger boy service record by three thousand miles。 Personally； it does not cost me anything to speak of。 The dramatization of the Soldiers continues briskly； and Maude is sending Grundy back the Jackal； to have a second go at it。 Maude insists on its being doneso I stand to win a lot。 RICHARD。
Beefsteak Club； 9； Green Street； Leicester Square； W。 C。 Tuesday。 March1899。 DEAR MOTHER：
The faithful Jaggers should have arrived to…day； or will do so this evening I am sure you will make the poor little chap comfortable I do regret having sent him on such a journey especially since the papers here made such an infernal row over it However； neither of us will lose by it in the end
I dined with Lady Clarke last night and met Lord Castleton there and he invited me up to Dublin for the Punchtown Races I have a great mind to go and write a story on them Castleton is a great sport and very popular at home and in England and it would be a pleasant experience。 Kuhne Beveridge is doing a bust of me in khaki outfit for the Academy and also for a private exhibition of her own works； which includes the Prince of Wales； and the Little Queen of Holland。
Hays Hammond has invited me down to South Africa again； with a promise of making my fortune； but I am not going as it takes too long。 DICK。
CHAPTER XII
THE BOER WAR
On May 4； 1899； at Marion； Massachusetts； Richard was married to Cecil Clark； the daughter of Mr。 and Mrs。 John M。 Clark of Chicago。 After the marriage Richard and his wife spent a few weeks in Marion and the remainder of the summer in London and Aix…les…Bains。
MARION； May 28th； 1899。 DEAR MOTHER：
You sent me such a good letter about the visit of the three selected chorus girls。 But what was best； was about your wishing to see me。 Of course； you know that I feel that too。 I would have it so that we all lived here； so that Dad could fish； and Nora and Cecil could discuss life； and you and I could just take walks and chat。 But because that cannot be； we are no further away than we ever were and when the pain to see you comes； I don't let it hurt and I don't kill it either for it is the sweetest pain I can feel。 If sons will go off and marry； or be war…correspondents； or managers； it does not mean that Home is any the less Home。 You can't wipe out history by changing the name of a boulevard； as somebody said of the French； and if I were able to be in two places at once； I know in which two places I would be here with Cecil at Marion； and at Home in the Library with you and Dad and The Evening Telegraph； and Nora and Van Bibber。 You will never know how much I love you all and you must never give up trying to comprehend it。 God bless you and keep you； and my love to you every minute and always。
DICK。
Late in January； 1900； Richard and his wife started on their first great adventure together to the Boer War。 Arriving at Cape Town； Richard left his wife there and； acting as correspondent with the British forces for the New York Herald and London Mail； saw the relief of Ladysmith。 After this he returned to Cape Town； with the intention of joining Lord Roberts in his advance on Pretoria。 But on arriving at Cape Town he learned that Lord Roberts did not intend to move for three weeks； and so decided to say farewell to the British army and to return to London in a leisurely and sightseeing fashion along the east coast。 It was after they were well started on this return voyage that Richard conceived the idea of leaving the ship at Durban； going to Pretoria； and； as he expressed it； 〃watch the Boers fighting the same men I had just seen fighting them。〃
R。 M。 S。 Scot February 4th； 1900。 DEAR MOTHER：
A great change has come since I wrote you from Madeira。 We are now on Summer seas and have regulated the days so that they pass very pleasantlynot that we do not want to be on land I never so much wanted it Somers is with us and is such a comfort。 He is even younger than he used to be and so quick and courteous and good tempered。 He is like a boy off on a holiday I think he is very much in love with his wife； but in spite of himself he is glad to get a holiday； and like all of us he will be so much more glad when he is homeward bound。 They threatened to shut us out of our only chance of putting foot on land at Madeira In the first place； we were so delayed by the storm that we arrived at eight o'clock at night； so that we
