Lord William Beresford, V.C., Some Memories of a Famous Sportsman, Soldier and WitMenzies, Stuart, Mrs.
History
Lord William Beresford, V.C., Some Memories of a Famous Sportsman, Soldier and Wit
Menzies, Stuart, Mrs.
Beresford, William Leslie de la Poer, Lord, 1847-1900
On another occasion Ponto broke away from custody and turned up in
church at Simla during a marriage service; the church was very full,
but Ponto managed to squeeze his way through amongst the multitude of
legs, and gave a brisk “Wuff” of delighted greeting when he located
his master. This affection at times was embarrassing, but as he meant
it all in good part his master was obliged to accept it in the same
spirit, while vowing he would find some other means of keeping Ponto
at home. Both the latter and his master had many things in common,
both admired beauty; if Lord William was sitting at luncheon and said
in the usual conversational voice, “There goes a pretty girl,” Ponto
would be up and off in a moment, on to a chair to gaze right and
left out of the window, or to the door, to look out for the pretty
girl. This was always a sure draw for Ponto, and used to amuse Lord
William, showing him off.
Inverarm was like a museum for its many trophies of the chase and
sport generally. Tables groaned under cups and beautiful silver.
Some of Lord Bill’s silver bowls were remarkable for their delicate
workmanship; he used often to lend them to people giving parties
when they wanted to make a little splash. Indeed, so interesting and
comfortable was the house that whenever there was an overflow from
the Viceregal Lodge, which was not infrequent, Peterhoff being very
circumscribed, the extra guests were put up at Inverarm.
One day when riding along the Mall, Lord William saw a doolie being
carried along with a sick man inside; he asked the bearers who was
inside, and being told a cavalry officer from the plains, and hearing
they were going to take the invalid to an hotel, he told them to go
straight to Inverarm, and escorted them to it, keeping the sick man
until well again, doing everything possible for his comfort and to
expedite his recovery. The individual in question was the present Sir
Robert Baden-Powell, at that time in the 13th Hussars, now father of
that most important and valuable institution the Boy Scouts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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