I was not only not writing a conventional article of
condolence, not even writing dramatically, but sincerely. When, however,
the leader was finished, I, of course, thought very little more of the
matter, but passed on to consider, after the way of my profession,
subjects so vital or so trivial as the best means of supporting Mr.
Balfour in his law-and-order campaign in Ireland, maintaining the cause
of Free Trade (the Standard was always a Free Trade paper), or
discussing such topics as "Penny Fares in Omnibuses," or "The
Preservation of the Ancient Monuments of London," or "Should Cats be
Taxed?" It was therefore with some astonishment that I received a
message from Mr. Mudford saying that the Queen had sent one of her
Private Secretaries to enquire on behalf of Her Majesty the name of the
writer of the article on Lady Ely. The Queen, said her Envoy, had been
very touched and struck by the article and felt sure that it must have
been written by someone who knew Lady Ely. It exactly represented her
life and character, and her special devotion to the Queen. The Queen
also appeared much struck by the representation of her own feeling
towards her friend.
Mr. Mudford, of course, gave my name.
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