“The newspapers,” he said. “I’ve had a hint that Mr. Wilkins would like the Press to be present. He’s going to make a speech.”
I thought for a minute, and then said that I supposed it would be better to write to the editor of our county paper and send him a ticket.
“Yes,” said Harry, “but I fancy Wilkins would like the Times and the Morning Advertiser to be present.”
I couldn’t help laughing at that. Of course it was absurd; as if the editor of the Times and the Morning Advertiser would take the trouble to come down to our place to hear Mr. Wilkins speak!
I told Harry that it was ridiculous, as it was only a local affair, and I wasn’t even sure if it was big enough for our county paper to come to.
Harry seemed a little disappointed. He said that it would have been such a good thing for us, if it could have been got into the London papers; because in all the accounts of banquets that he had read it always said at the end something about the hotel or the restaurant, and the way in which the banquet was served.
“Well,” I said, “I’m sure the London papers would laugh at us if we invited them; but there’ll be no harm in asking the local paper.”
The committee met and talked it over, and a nice invitation was sent to our editor, and we got a letter back in a couple of days, saying that he feared he could not send a reporter, as the affair was not of sufficient general interest; but if we sent a short account of the proceedings it should be inserted.
Somehow or other, Mr. Wilkins got to hear of it, and, though he was disappointed about the Times and the Morning Advertiser, he paid me a very pretty little compliment. He came to me, and said, “Mrs. Beckett, ma’am, I have heard that our county journal is anxious for a report of the farewell banquet which is to be given in my honour. I am sure that there will be no one so fitted in every way to draw up that report as yourself. You are an authoress, and well known in literature, and can do the subject justice.”
I blushed at that, and went quite hot. “I’m not used to writing in newspapers, Mr. Wilkins,” I said, “which is quite different to writing books.” But the old gentleman was so anxious that I should write the report that I promised I would. After that I read all the reports of banquets I could find in the newspapers, so as to get used to the style, and the only thing that bothered me was how I should be able to write out all the speeches, and I told Mr. Wilkins so. He relieved me on this point by saying he should have his speech written out beforehand, and he would have a copy made specially for me.