The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-13
.CL LOSE GUARD K.za
BY Literal FOLK
Poet Watson Sails, and
All Reporters Get
From Him Is In
deed" and My
Word. =
Especial to The Times- -Dispatqh,

Lspe,eial to The Times -DiIaspatffhi;l T. "a
thanked by a platoon OF literary men,
\ William Watson, the English poet, and
nssailant of the family of the Premier
| OF his own nation, tried his best to
| slip away unknown on the White Star
| Liner Adriatic to-day.
Silence was his watchword. Mr..
Watson didn't break 1T to cxclHim
moro than Indeed" and My word
IT was only by accident that the
4 reporters discovered him. His name
4 was not on the passenger list, and
1t was only because of some of the
4 reporters who became acquainted with
. him when he arrived some weeks ago
that he was found at all.
"Wll you sa, anything about the
: Asquith controversy" asked a re-
. porter, who failed to sec the guard
of literary folk. Before the poet could
/ opon his mouth Robert Erskinc Ely,
. chief of the protectors, held up his
righ hand.
mot a word" he commanded, and
the poets mouth. which was he!t8
opened, closed tightly.
Remember, silence Is tho thing
i said Ely. and the poet bowed In assent
but. Judging from his countenance, Mr..
Watson was sorely disappointed In his
trip to the Western world.
Ely Is stern.
Mr.. Ely was stern. His look Of COM
| inand, flashed acr oss to the post.
seemed to have strong effect, and
Mr.. Watson wouldn't talk. Mr.. Ely
] himself talked to tho reporters at
fright ear. His left was open to those
who were trying to get the poet to
\ saik.
There was nothing in the poets
demeanor to indicate that his mind
was affected as has been charged by
| his brother in Montreal. lie was PAT
tfculary bright, and he seemed TO
4! possess mentality at least the equal
4 OF those who surrounded him. Never
| tneless. he was not permitted to talk
i for himself.
a II am authorized to talk for Mr..
y Watson finally said Mr.. Ely. In fact,
il the poet was not permitted to answer
i the simplest question.
5..Are%you coming back to the United
Il States?' some one asked.
Il Up went the hand Of the guardian,
. and Mr. Watson said not a word. Nor
], were subjects OF literature outside tho
. ban.
MIR. Watson and his wife. who had
been in Cuba some weeks. came back
. q week ago. They managed to get Tn
!. to New York without being seen, and
-tthaxe kept very rrufet TIL tiras sszarre
Z to start for England. 1t was the hope
! or his friends that he would be able
Ito start for England as slyly as he
! came from Cuba.
Mrs Watson, beautiful young wo.
I man,3was not bound by silence. Sht
!. Twas willing to talk at length about
!. their "Trip in the United States. and she
) vivaciously described her visit here
! and In Cuba. But the poets literary
guard escorted him to his staterooll
& on the liner. and didn't leave till the
last bell had rung.
Mr.. Ely hurried to his office to pre-
n pare a statement which he intimated
! would be sprinkled with tobacco.
{ In about an hour he issued the fol-
t lowing tSpewritten statement:
.'Mr., William Watson and his wife
! sailed for England on the Adrlatic this
. morning. The courtesy which had beei
|sshow them by the Cunard line on the
q voyage to this country was also shown
by the White Star line on their return
voyage. inasmuch as they were treat
J ed with especial consideration.
mir and Mrs. Watson arc cutttn.
short their American trip because the
; object for which they came here. name
1y. a pleasure tour. In order to See i
country which both of them had nevcl
visited before and for which both OF
them had a fervent admiration. can
not longer be fulfilled.
Should BE Ashamed.
mir. and Mrs. Watson have warm
:. American friends, some Of whom they
have become acquainted with since
i their arrival. These friends feel that
1.-the greatest living English poet and
! his young wife have been treated since
they came to America In a manner
! which should cause every self-respect-
q ing citizen of this country to feel a
q deep sense of shame.
+ "rhe regard felt for Mr.. and Mrs
Watson has been expressed In many
9 ways. among which may be mentioned
9 q private tea given In his honor yes
: terday afternoon by we'll knowr
. New York won'an and her husband
ut which were present about twenty
: persons more or less we'll known 1r
: New York literary and social circles.
: 'srhls morning when they sailed tho
i Watsons' stateroom was buried II
$ flowers, and they said good-by tt
America. their friends hope, with a
p least some abatement OF a bitterness
OF soul which no words can adequatel,
/. experience Of unparalleled painful
= ness.h
J. The above statement was urth7rize
d by Robert IIrskine Ely, who said tha
r lie had only very recently made TIL
:, acquaintance of Mr., Watson and nj
!, wife, but that during this short In
! terval he had learned to feel for MI
II Watson a respect and regard as
70 man%as we'll as a poet. which mad
q him count his friendship a rarc priv
~ lege.
a 1t transplred later that the curb o
* ! Mr., Watson's freedom OF uttcranc
( had been applied long before h
g reached heWhite Star pier. It seem
I that when tne poet was on the oceal
\ tho contemporary club of I'hiladel
r r phia met him in mid-ocean with
g wireless request for a lecture.
8 Mr.. Watson accepted, and was ts
q have delivered a lecture on "Beaut,
Q and Criticism before that body. Wher
:. the Asquith matter came up, however
the club insisted upon the privilege Q
editing the text or deciding what th'
Al poet should say. Needless to remark
Mr.. watson threw UP the lecture con
& tract promptly,
i . 4 ~ iE.f sv,'Ns w r