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[Page 16]
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the last, for soon after, the Duchess whose health had been for some time unsatisfactory, died and I a few weeks later attended the memorial service at Westinister Abbey, having the privilege of a seat in the reserve where there were many Royal representatives.
At a luncheon given at the Lyceum Club to the retiring President, I met Mrs. Parker the President elect, for the first time who is Lord Kitchener's sister, there was present also Mrs. Hawken General Botha's sister.
At a meeting for Soldier's and Sailor's wives at the Mansion House, a number of invited guests were entertained at tea afterwards, and there I met Lord Derby and Lord Jellicoe who were speaking, and renewed acquaintance with Miss Agnes Nicholls who sang beautifully.
During February, the Food question became acute owing to the shortage of potatoes and the number of ships that were being sunk and everywhere meetings were being held at which were prominent women speakers. To one held at the Adelphia [Adelphi] Theatre, I was invited to a seat on the platform and heard Miss Beatrice Chamberlain, Mrs. Peel and Mrs. Pender Reeves.
Lady Harrowly, who with her husband had visited Australia and was anxious to do all that was possible for the pleasure and comfort of our Officers, invited me to talk over a scheme which she thought of initiating and that has developed so wonderfully, that now there are many hundreds who have had the advantage when on leave or convalescent of being hospitably entertained by her friends and in turn their friends at beautiful homes in different parts of England, Scotland and Ireland.
As the guest of Mrs. Lowther, wife of the speaker, I visited the House of Commons and wrote to the Daily Mail later a letter which they published, saying that I felt there must be in me the genesis of a Militant Suffragette, for there arose in me a feeling of the strongest rebellion that I should have to look from a cage to the men who were the makers of the laws under which both men and women were equally