No season either in Simla or Calcutta was allowed to pass without the children being catered for; the parties the Military Secretary gave for them were amongst the most delightful and eagerly looked forward to by the young folk, who all adored Lord Bill; he in his turn adored them. The vocabulary of children is so small and yet so sufficing. Bairns are very dramatic little persons, and their patois delightful. He would at any time give up an engagement for his own pleasure to go and amuse a sick child, telling them stories, taking them presents and flowers, and always being robbed of the one in his button-hole. He used to have great confidences and secrets with them, which children always enjoy. One small boy who had broken his leg and was much devoted to his delicate mother, wanted to give her something on her birthday as a great surprise, and could not make up his mind what it should be, as his saved pennies were not excessive. For days Lord William made suggestions, none of which were favoured, some being too costly, others she would not care for. Each visit Lord William paid he had some fresh list of suggestions. If the boy had decided on an elephant Lord Bill would have said he was sure he could get one for the money and procured it; but at last the boy had decided in his own mind, and joyfully told Lord William, saying, “I have found out what mother would like; it is a book she often reads. It got spoilt with the white ants eating it, and I want to give her another.” “That is capital,” said Lord William; “what is the name of the book and who is it by, I mean who wrote it?” “Oh, I don’t know that,” replied his little friend, looking rather dismayed, “I think it is called _Infernal Hope_, but I don’t know who wrote it.” “Never mind, little man, I will soon find out, don’t worry, it is a funny name, but I will soon get it for you. If I write to a man I know who keeps a big book shop, he will be sure to know and send it at once.” Lord William made a point of finding out from another member of the family what the book was without giving away his little friend’s secret. It was Archdeacon Farrer’s _Eternal Hope_, and it arrived duly in a beautiful cover in time to give pleasure to both the little invalid and his mother. Some years after this, when I was giving a children’s party at home in England, Lord Bill asked, “May this child come, please?” Of course I replied I should be charmed, and certainly the children were; I never saw bairns enjoy themselves more. He pretended he was an elephant at the Zoo, and allowed them to sit all over him while he travelled about on all fours giving them rides, then pretending to fall down and roll with them. When he thought they were tired of this he crawled under the table in the dining-room and pretended he was a bear in a cage, and had to be fed by the children through the bars formed by the legs of the chairs arranged around him.