。 Harry Cust； to whom my brother frequently refers in his letters； was the nephew of Lady Brownlow； and a great friend of Richard's。 At that time Cust was the Conservative nominee for Parliament from Lincolnshire； and Richard took a most active part in the campaign。 Happily； we were both at Lady Brownlow's during its last few tense days； as well as on the day the votes were counted； and Cust was elected by a narrow margin。 Of our thrilling adventures Richard afterward wrote at great length in 〃Our English Cousins。〃
LONDON； July 6； 1892。 DEAR MOTHER：
On the Fourth of July； Lady Brownlow sent into town and had a big American flag brought out and placed over the house； which was a great compliment； as it was seen and commented on for miles around。 Cushing of Boston； a very nice chap and awfully handsome； is there； too。 The same morning I went out to photograph the soldiers； and Lord William Frederick； who is their colonel； charged them after me whenever I appeared。 It seems he has a sense of humor and liked the idea of making an American run on the Fourth of July from Red…coats。 I doubt if the five hundred men who were not on horseback thought it as funny。 They chased me till I thought I would die。 The Conservative member for the county got in last night and we rejoiced greatly； as the moral effect will help Harry Cust greatly。 His election takes place next Monday。 The men went in to hear the vote declared after dinner； and so did two of the girls； who got Lady Brownlow's consent at dinner； and then dashed off to change their gowns before she could change her mind。 As we were intent on seeing the fun and didn't want them； we took them just where we would have gone anyway； which was where the fighting was。 And they showed real sporting blood and saw the other real sort。 There were three of us to each girl； and it was most exciting； with stones flying and windows crashing and cheers and groans。 A political meeting or election at home is an afternoon tea to the English ones。 When we came back the soldiers were leaving the Park to stop the row； and as we flew past； the tenants ran to the gate and cheered for the Tory victory in 〃good old lopes。〃 When we got to the house the servants ran cheering all over the shop and rang the alarm bell and built fires； and we had a supper at one…fifteen。 What they will do on the night of Cust's election； I cannot imagine burn the house down probably。 Cushing and I enjoy it immensely。 We know them well enough now to be as funny as we like without having them stare。 They are nice when you know them； but you've GOT to know them first。 I had a great dinner at Farrar's。 All the ecclesiastical lights of England in knee…breeches were there； and the American Minister and Phillips Brooks。 It was quite novel and fun。 Lots of love。 I have all the money I want。
DICK。
With Cust properly elected； Richard and I returned to the Albany and settled down to enjoy London from many angles。 Although my brother had been there but a few weeks； his acquaintances among the statesmen； artists； social celebrities； and the prominent actors of the day was quite as extraordinary as his geographical and historical knowledge of the city。 We gave many jolly parties； and on account of Richard's quickly acquired popularity were constantly being invited to dinners； dances； and less formal but most amusing Bohemian supper…parties。 During these days there was little opportunity for my brother to do much writing； but he was very busy making mental notes not only for his coming book on the English people； but for a number of short stories which he wrote afterward in less strenuous times。 We returned to New York in August； and Richard went to Marion to rest from his social activities； and to work on his English articles。
CHAPTER VI
THE MEDITERRANEAN AND PARIS
It was； I think； the year previous to this that my mother and father had deserted Point Pleasant as a place to spend their summer vacations in favor of Marion； on Cape Cod； and Richard and I； as a matter of course； followed them there。 At that time Marion was a simple little fishing village where a few very charming people came every summer and where the fishing was of the best。 In all ways the life was most primitive； and happily continued so for many years。 In； these early days Grover Cleveland and his bride had a cottage there； and he and Joseph Jefferson； who lived at Buzzard's Bay； and my father went on daily fishing excursions。 Richard Watson Gilder was one of the earliest settlers of the summer colony； and many distinguished members of the literary and kindred professions came there to visit him。 It was a rather drowsy life for those who didn't fisha great deal of sitting about on one's neighbor's porch and discussion of the latest novel or the newest art； or of one's soul； and speculating as to what would probably become of it。 From the first Richard formed a great affection for the place； and after his marriage adopted it as his winter as well as his summer home。 As a workshop he had two rooms in one of the natives' cottages； and two more charming rooms it would be hard to imagine。 The little shingled cottage was literally covered with honeysuckle； and inside there were the old wall…papers； the open hearths； the mahogany furniture； and the many charming things that had been there for generations； and all of which helped to contribute to the quaint peaceful atmosphere of the place。 Dana Gibson had a cottage just across the road； and around the corner Gouverneur Morris lived with his family。 At this time neither of these friends of Richard； nor Richard himself； allied themselves very closely to the literary colony and its high thoughts； but devoted most of their time to sailing about Sippican Harbor； playing tennis and contributing an occasional short story or an illustration to a popular magazine。 But after the colony had taken flight； Richard often remained long into the fall； doing really serious work and a great deal of it。 At such times he had to depend on a few friends who came to visit him； but principally on the natives to many of whom he was greatly attached。 It was during these days that he first met his future wife； Cecil Clark； whose father； John M。 Clark of Chicago； was one of the earliest of the summer colonists to build his own home at Marion。 A most charming and hospitable home it was； and it was in this same house where we had all spent so many happy hours that Richard was married and spent his honeymoon； and for several years made his permanent home。 Of the life of Marion during this later period； he became an integral part； and performed his duties as one of its leading citizens with much credit to the town and its people。 For Marion Richard always retained a great affection； for there he had played and worked many of his best years。 He had learned to love everything of which the quaint old town was possessed； animate and inanimate； and had I needed any further proof of how deeply the good people of Marion loved Richard； the letters I received from many of them at the time of his death would show。
In the early fall of 1892 Richard returned to his editorial work on Harper's Weekly； and one of the first assignments he gave was to despatch himself to Chicago to report the Dedication Exercises of the World's Fair。 That the trip at least started out little to my brother's liking the following seems to show。 However； Richard's moods frequently changed with the hour； and it is more than possible that before the letter was sent he was enjoying himself hugely and regarding Chicago with his usual kindly eyes。
Chicago Club； DEAR FAMILY： October 2； 1892。
Though lost to sight I am still thinking of you sadly。 It seems that I took a coupe after leaving you and after living in it for a few years I grew tired and got out on the prairie and walked along drinking in the pure air from the lakes and reading Liebig's and Cooper's advs。 After a brisk ten mile walk I reentered my coupe and we in time drew up before a large hotel inhabited by a clerk and a regular boarder。 I am on the seventh floor without a bathroom or electric buttonI merely made remarks and then returned to town in a railroad train which runs conveniently near。 After gaining civilization I made my way through several parades or it may have been the same one to the reviewing stand。 My progress was marked by mocking remarks by the police who asked of each other to get on to my coat and on several occasions I was mistaken by a crowd of some thousand people for the Pe of Ws； and tumultuously cheered。 At last I found an inspector of police on horseback； who agreed to get me to the stand if it took a leg。 He accordingly charged about 300 women and clubbed eight menI counted themand finally got me in。 He was very drunk but he was very good to me。
Once back from Chicago Richard divided his time between his desk at Franklin Square； his rooms on Twenty…eighth Street； and in quickly picking up the friendships and the social activities his trip to England had temporarily broken off。 Much as he now loved London； he was still an enthusiastic New Yorker； and the amount of work and play he accomplished was quite extraordinary。 Indeed it is difficult to understand where he found the time to do so much。 In addition to his work on Harper's he wrote many short stories and special articles； not only because he loved the mere writing of them； but because he had come to so greatly enjoy the things he could buy with the money his labors now brought him。 His pleasures had increased as steadily as the prices he could now command for his stories； and in looking back on those days it is rather remarkable when one considers his age； the temptations that surrounded him； and his extraordinary capacity for enjoyment； that he never seems to have forgotten the balance between work and play； and stuck to both with an unswerving and unceasing enthusiasm。 However； after four months of New York； he decided it was high time for him to be off again； and he arranged with the Harpers to spend the late winter and the spring in collecting material for the two sets of articles which afterward ap