Fond Memories

My Life's Battles, a chatty autobiography by Will Thorne, horney-handed M. P. of the Labor Party, was published in London last week. Mr. Thorne treats his reminiscences like fine liqueurs, slowly sipped. He remembers how he, frowsily dressed astounded a taxi-driver by directing: "Buckingham Palace"; how he said to Lord Stamfordham (the King's Secretary) : "I have been led to understand one has to do a lot of bowing and scraping;" how Lord Stamfordham told him he was mistaken; how his preconception of the King was indeed mistaken.

Then there was a party at Lady Astor's, to which he went in a baggy suit to meet the Prince. After dinner the Prince asked him: "Mr. Thorne, do you think any serious troubles will arise in the country?"

"I replied: 'No widespread trouble will take place, but there are bound to be labor troubles from time to time for many years to come. But please understand that practically all the Parliamentary Labor party, including myself, are in favor of obtaining the social economic and industrial reforms by constitutional methods.'"

The Prince thought for a moment and then replied:

"Well, nobody can object to that."

During the dinner, Will Thorne turned to "Lady Astor's sister" (Mrs. C.D. Gibson?) "remarking that the beauty of her reminded me of a song I had often heard sung in East End. She was curious to know what it was and finally persuaded me to hum the song that I had in mind." The song ran:

"Those lovely girls!

They have eyes like diamonds, teeth like pearls,

I love 'em one and all,

Stout, short and tall--

O those beautiful, beautiful girls."

"She was highly amused and I was almost getting in the mood to sing other songs."