San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-20

| the, visit TO the Lord Mayors Mansion
and the trip to London Tower.
After luncheon at the Wellington
! hotel in Fleet Street in the heart OF
London's publishing district-with the
correspondents of American newspap-
ers, among them several men from old
lTexas-I returned 10 the hotel.
TOM SHEDS HIS GUN
That afternoon / made a trip to
Scotland Yard to clear up difficulties
which had arisen over the fact that l
had brought in some ammunition and
several guns and revolvers. There
was evidence in the very air which
lowered over the place, of that deter
mined efficiency which makes Scot
land Yard a bugaboo to every crook.
One could well imagine that the spirit
of the Canadian Mounted Police-an
institution with which / was familiar
emanated from this grim headquarters
of all English law enforcement agen-
cies. Scotland Yard, might say by
way of parenthesis, is the name given
to the directing bureaus Of the English
police service, whether it be the IA
nous international detective force, or
the efficient bobby of the London
streets.
We were given the permits neces-
sary to carry my arms in England,
but because foresaw complications in
other countries / planned to visit, i
decided to leave them in London.
Quite a number of people were Wis
iting Mrs. Mix and Mrs. Ford when
| returned TO the hotel. Among them
was Augustus John, one of the worlds
foremost portrait painters, and his
daughter, Poppet, who had a violent
crush on Tony and wanted TO paint
him.
Mr.. John was a most interesting
gentleman. The story of his eccentri-
cities and genius were given CREDIBLE
ity BY his appearance and his demean-
or. A smile played constantly in his
eyes, almost hidden under bushy,
brown b1sws. he wore a very heavy
beard and mustaehe, but these failed
to hide a sensitive mouth. His shout
ders-he is q man Of good height, and
broad and thick-gave the appearance
of great strength. His clothing, cut
in English fashion, hung loosely about
him. He looked the genius, and he
talked as one would expect such
man to talk. He suggested ! should
spare time to be painted-and this
from Augustus John. who paints only
when he is sufficiently interested in a
subject to suggest it, We feared
there would not be time during my
short stay. We managed. however,
two days later, to snatch an hour for
a short sketch.
DOG FOR THOMASINA
Before tea was finished, a Mrs.
Cuthbert was announced. We did
not know her, but she came in with q
smile and en- amusing flourish, and
our surprise was pleasant. 1t was
even more pleasant when, from I'M
der her wide skirts, she suddenly and
dramatically produced a Chow Chow,
as perfect a little specimen Of the
breed as ever I've seen.
"You see. hope you'll excuse it for
Tbomasina, she said simply.
If there had been any question
about accepting the tiny creature, it
was settled at once by Thomasina
herself. The child and dog immediate
ly struck up a fast friendship, and !
made a mental calculation that there'd
be an extra passage for a dog going
home. As a matter Of fact, there was
passage for that dog and many others.
But wen come TO that.
Darkness was beginning TO foli
drowsily down over the Thames whan
everyone had gone and we were alonc.
Then l began my evenings recreation
sitting close 10 the window and gaz.
ing out upon the drifting waters Of the
Thames. Almost, that is London 10
me London from my hotel window
London with the drowsy Thames, preg-
nant with a thousand memories. and
in the distance Cleopatra's Needle,
brought from Egypt by a conquering
host. fading into nothing in the
night.
A large banquet was given for me
that evening in the SayOy's down
stairs banquet hall. Il was, for the
most part. a gathering Of men and
women engaged in the motion pic.
ture industry, but there were many
others there and it proved very in
tCresting. Still following my cOnYic-
tion that it was as much in Tony's
honor as mine, / brought him to the
banquet.
TONY AT BANQUET
Perhaps his entrance was a bit spec.
tacular; certainly it caused consider
able surprise. Without word Of
warning 10 the guests who had taken
their places at the tables. Tony was
brought through the door leading from
the Thames Embankment entrance to
the door leading Immediately into the
banquet hall. There ! mounted hin.
The door was thrown open. and while
the guests, as one, gasped audiblv,
Tony stepped forward and moved at a
fast walk between the tables to the
back Of the long banquet board at the
head Of the room.
Then, after Tony had been paid
homage, and ] was satisfied he fully
appreciated what he was doing, ]
rode him back through the tables 10
the door where he was led away into
his special truck parked az the outer
entrance.
While 70 me this was simply q
rather unique way Of permitting these
people 10 see my horse, learned dur
ing the evening It had greater signifi-
canoe than that. Sir Walter Gibbon,
who sat at my left, declared that, %
his best recollection, the thing had not
been done in England since the time
" Henry VIII, except at coronation
ceremonies.
Sir Walters history on some one's