THE REAL LABOUCHERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 71, 8 March 1912, Page 2

THE REAL LABOUCHERS.

LIVING ON TENPENCE A DAY. London, Jan. 25. An article, entitled “ The Real Labouchere,” evidently by the editor, appears in this week’s issue of “Truth” and contains many stories of the founder of that paper. AVhen Labouchere came back from Florence (all alons) to attend his last two Parliamentary sessions, he took a. modest couple of rooms in Queen Anne's mansions. On one of the rare occasions when he dropped in to “ Truth ” office he related to us with great pride and satisfaction how cheaply he was doing it. The mansions gave him a cup of coffee and a slice of toast in the morning for sixpence. He had found a lightful place for lunch—the Aerated Bread shop at the corner of Parliament street. Here a particularly choice delicacy could be obtained, for which he had taken a great liking—two cold sausages, price 4d. He had been rather bothered at first by the girls persisting in bringing him bread, which he did not want, and worrying him to know what he would take to drink. But he always them tfiat if they were not satisfied tn supplying what he ordered, he would go, elsewhere, and they had all got to know him ahd leave him alone with his two sausages. “So you see,” he said triumphantly, “as I do not often take any dinner, I generally get through the day for tenpence.” THE HAMMER AND THE TEETH. For many years it, was his habit to drop in at “ Truth ” office on a Monday or Ti'f"-day morning mid order lunch. The meal usually consisted of a chop just warmed through. He ato it without bread, salt, pepper, or drink of any kind, and smoking a cigarette ail ths time. I have seen him with the chop in One hand and the cigarette in the other, pausing to crack some joke. A’oules, who had to sit on the other side of tie table while he was refreshing hiimvlf, us-’d to l>e horribly upset by the Bill the clima-x was reached when Labby. at the conclusion of the repast, took out his teeth and laid them beside him on the table while he corrected his proofs. A’oules came into my room one day after this had happened on the pretence of business. “I can’t sit there any longer,” he said, “ with those confounded teeth grinning at me. They get on. my nerves.” A'ohimes might be written about Labby’s teeth. I might almost .say that they have been written, for ho was always confiding his troubles over his teeth to tlio readers of “ Truth.” His jaws must have been as peculiar as the i-’.-t of his constitution, for no dentist could give him satisfaction. I suspect the trouble arose hugely from his own impatience. As soon as he felt tho slightest nieonvetii'nco from them, he had them out and set to work on them with the first implement, that came to hand. I have so.»n him plodding them about " ith the office scissors or battering them "ith a rii!:'.-, “ Have you got. a hammer in the office, A’oules?” ho. inquired o”o djy, and, the caretaker having produced one. he destroyed about lifty pmintls’ worth of dentist’s work in a few minutes. There isAno character in all Dickens’ collection full of apparently iuiposu'hlo comic 'extravagance as was Henry Laiiouehere in real life. FO.XD.YESS FOR OLD CLOTHES. From his portraits as a young man 0.0 uould suppose that ho was then lather smartly dressed, but in the nineties and onwards ho used to go about London looking like a dilapidated bagman. From circumstantial evidence w« gathered that he. was a source of much trouble in this respect to Mrs, Labo'i<h. re. “It s a let the worse for wear,” he once remarked, half apologetically, "h: :i I was helping him into his overcoat. He had put his arm into .some le. ess hetwemi the cloth and tho lining, which was hanging in tatters. “My wiio "on’t let me go out in it, hut I’m rather fond of it, and I hide it from her. Ho he— he I ’ and then camo the M 'pbistopholian chuckle. Ho used to come to tho office in one odd jacket which excited much interest ami mirth among the junior staff, one of whom declared that Im con'd smell it coming up tho stairs. One day Labby arrived in a more presentable garment, and .n a very irritable frame of mind. He complained ol being very uncomfort.toie, and presently threw off his coat sitting in. his shirt sleeves. He complained bitterly that Mrs. Labouchere had surreptitiously captured the old jacket. A week later, to the general horror, Im reappeared in it. bubbling over with glee. “ ['y ( > done her,” he said to \ miles. “ I found it!” He never said "hero, but I suspect that he room cred it irom tho dustbin.