"'Yes, sir,' he replied, and ambled off unsuspectingly. Then I waited. I do not know what I expected to see—a headless Graves returning in some gruesome but faithful remnant trying to perform this last request—but I breathed again when he reappeared safe and sound—with the bag—which contained an alarm clock, ticking away very merrily. I discovered upon inquiry that a cornet in the band had bought the clock for his wife on the way to the rehearsal, and how he had escaped detection, with the bag, and run the gauntlet of the fifty policemen who were guarding the Abbey I never quite knew. If a rumour of my discovery had got into the papers, I do not think the Queen would have come to the Abbey; as it was, I might have made my fortune by giving a nice little account of it to the Press.
"That is my only experience of dynamite. Graves died safely in bed a short time ago, and when I sent a wreath to his funeral, I thought of the episode of the bag, for to the day of his death, he used to say, 'You very nearly blew me up that time, sir!'"
Quite recently Sir Frederick has married again for the third time.
KUBELIK. 1903.
SIR FREDERICK BRIDGE. 1904.
PADEREWSKI. 1899.
Most people are unaware that the late W. S. Penley was a clever musician, and had a remarkably fine organ in his house which he delighted in playing; also that he was a choir boy. I saw him in his inimitable and famous part in "Charley's Aunt" several times, and one could hardly realize he could have worn a serious look or had a quiet side to his character. When he stood to me in my studio, I was attempting to catch a certain expression that I knew was very characteristic of him. I ran backwards and forwards, to quickly seize the look and convey it to my paper, and staggering backwards once too often in my forgetfulness and interest, I went head over heels over my rug. Penley did not stop laughing for some minutes and said when I had recovered (and he had!), "I shall not forget that, it was too funny—and when I play the part of an artist, I shall put your little accident and incidental business in."