The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-09-10

lV London on April p. 1874. on June
20. 1898. he was admitted to the
Forelga office and placed in the African
department His work there was of in
different seriousness and on the whole
quite agreeable. His first real position
same in January. 1899. when he was ap-
pointed attache to the British Embassy
at Paris. Monotony was no part of his new
.ife
a lady would come in insisting that she
should paint a miniature OF Queen Vic
toria; she knew she could. soldier would
come on from India who claimed he had
been bitten by mad dog and wanted to
see Pasteur; he claimed death was just
around the corner ii his petition was not
granted. A man would drop around 10 in
form the embassy that he was the only
legitimate King OF France: his title and
dynasty We're engraved on his visiting
card- Another would ask to see the chief,
sor he had a new solution Of the Irish
problem. Another would request an OPP
oortunity to lay his scheme before the
embassy OF introducing CONSUMPTION in
England without letting the people know
anything about il. There was. too. the
endless stream Of apparently more rational
subjects from across the Channel who
contended that the formalities at the Bib
hotheque Rationale were idiotic: the EN-
oassy was to see to it that they were given
carte blanche at once and with no holdups
And moreover, some one from the office
had to call on the Ambassador every
morning and learn the state Of his temper:
ne was not always in the same mood. rarely
IN the best Of moods. and never appeared
in person where Mr.. Barring was on duty.
It was Kaleidoscope existence
What did Maurice Barring do in those
intervening twenty-five years that enabled
MIN to secure this position-a position that
led on to others which in turn and-in time
prompted the writing Of this great volume
80 rich in facts, so suggestive in comment
and charming in style?
He learned French. read the best of
books, took part in theatricals. sang pop
Goes the Weasel" played spankaboo and
harassed while he amused his gifted gov
erness in tie nursery. The best that Lon
don had 10 offer in the way OF art. litera-
sure and music was placed before him and
explained TO him. He went to school at
Ascot. where the boys poked fun at him
FOR having a sister by the name of Susan
and where any boy was kept in after hours
II he intimated by 50 much as supposedly
cryptic snlirk that the English Church was
not the pinnacle Of sanctity and the Eng
lish state the keystone OF secular wisdom
The headmaster was a virulent politician.
fanatical Tory. An effigy Of Gladstone
was burned regularly on each recurring
November and the school paper kept the
folks at home in touch with the movement
to eradicate ell Liberals.
After this came Elton. 1t is strange
about men and the way they write College
catalogues are, after all. written BY men;
but could they be duller? Maurice Barring
devotes thirty-one pages TO his joyous life
Al Eton He tells Of the entrance examina-
lions, the courses he took. the books he
read. the people he met, the instructors he
liked. the games he played, the excursions
h. went on, the food he ate. the ideas he
carried away, the influence. in fine. Elton
had on him. / have read no more whole
some, edifying and diverting educational
pamphlet in the last quarter Of century
Which recalls just now the fact that
have never known German who really
enjoyed his days at the German prepare
Tory school And woald It not. incidentally
Re a good idea-to have the admittedly high
spirited among the alumni take a hand In