The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-10-11
TWO NOTED AUTHORS.
A Chat with Mayne Reid - Three
Minutes with Charles Reade.

London to get the benefit OF the expert
medical attendance which the metrop-
oils afforded him, and it was the last
move he ever made. In scrap book I
have just turned up the letter which he
wrote to me. After speaking of some
personal matters he said:
Il am helpless as child; CON pletely
crippled and cannot move from my
chair. Come up and see me, for can
now grimly say my friends will always
find me at home. I have taken iur
nished house at IL Bloomfield road,
with a pleasant bit of garden at the
back. Things are all in confusion SO
far, but if you come I'll not make you
set out our supper as when the bell
rope broke at Bedford street. If The
Free Press with that Chepultepec
article is not out of print would be
very much obliged for a few more
copies. My stock is exhausted.
"Your friend.
"MAYNE REID.
"P S.-Come up tonight; IL Bloom
field road, right hand of canal. BUS
from haring Cross passes end of
street. NJ. X.
I he writing is in heavy hand, big,
upright letters, six words to page"
as the printers used to say The bell
rope incident he spoke of referred to a
visit I paid him at his lodgings at Bed
ford street, when with semi-military
impatience that was characteristic of
him he gave a jerk to the bell-rope
which hung with its big tassel by the
side of the fireplace, and the wire
snapped at the ceiling. The captain.
who was sitting in big armchair with
his right foot heavily swathed on a
common chair before him, and glass
of fayorite hot tipple at his elbow,
said:
"All communications with the enemy
are now cut off. The garrison will be
stormed if you do not form yourself
into a forlorn hope and go down into
the kitchen and get help. Iou see, the
rest OF the army is in the hospital"
Just as I had volunteered to go for
help the captain remembered that the
supplies were in the huge mahogany
sideboard at the end of the room, and
so he sat there and diree ted the ex-
ploring party while I followed his di-
rections, and soon had most excellent
cold lunch spread out on the table, I'M
corked a couple of bottles of Bass, and
thus was starvation once more STAYED off.
On getting the letter | have quoted
above, made up parcel of The Free
Presses that Capt Reid wanted and
walked up the ever busy Strand to
Charing Cross.
do you know where Bloomfield
road is?" I asked the FIST bus con
ductor
Pass the end of it, sir" he replied
and without more ado climbed to the
top.
Bloomfield road proved to be long
way out to the west. We went past the
National gallery, up Regent street
along Oxford street, past the Marble
Arch, that might be ebony for all the
smoke of London has left Of it's white
ness: along the north side of Hyde park
and Kensington gardens; through Bays
water; over one railway and under an
other: past the triangular green spo
near Shepherds. Then into the Tx
bridge road, when the bus man hauled
up and said:
Bloomfield road, sir
[ got off and speedily found No. 1:
as one of row of terrace houses will
very little indications of plaasan
| garden at the back or canal at either
hand. [ rang, and a frowsy girl ap
peared at the door.
Capt. Reid, sir? No sir, don liv
ere, sir. No, never heard of i'm
| sir"
"Do you mean Mr.. Reade, the al
thor?" seid voice from the parlor, an,
the next moment the lady of the hous
appeared at the parlor door.
"Yes," | answered.
well, he lives in that large squar
brick house at the corner of BLOOMFIELD
road, facing the Uxbridge road"
thanked the lady and left.
The corner house stood in larg
garden that was completely surrounde
by high brick wall. A ring at th
bell brought m ddle ag d servant t
the door, who looked rather sour an,
suspiciously at me. and kept my car
kind of at arms length, as it we~e, a
if l were not at all the sort of perso
that she approved of, and that reall
they had no old clothes or broke
victuals to give away. My bundle c
papers seemed to add to my unpromis
ing appearance. She said, sullenly:
Mr.. Reade is not feeling we'll te
day. He is not seeing any one tc
day"
"I know that" I said, rather shortl,
"But Mr.. Reid sent for me, and if 70
take that card to him I guess you'll fin
he'll see me-"
She shut the door in my face, and
was at loss whether to go or sta,
Just as I turned to go away the doc
opened again and she asked me to com
opinion of me had not increased in I'll
interval was shown into a room th.
was half parlor and half receipt OIL
room. The next moment l heard
slippered step come shutting along tt
uncarpeted hall, and middle-sized ol
man, with short and thick gray beart
a bla,k silk skull-cap, long dressin
gown with dangling tassels, stood
the door looking at me with knit brow
over his glasses. as if trying to reco
lect me. Then he glanced az the cal
in his hand and said:
81 really have no recollection" the
he paused and looked inquiringly at n
over his gla ses again.
Il an afraid have made mistake
/ said, Il expected to see Capt. Mayl
Reid. I was directed here.
Well" said the old gentlemi
quietly, I think my neighbors mig