"
It was hard for me to get accustomed to speaking to English
audiences. The average Englishman is so serious, and is so
tremendously in earnest about everything, that when I told a
story that would have made an American audience roar with
laughter, the Englishmen simply looked me straight in the face
without even cracking a smile.
When the Englishman takes you into his heart and friendship, he
binds you there as with cords of steel, and I do not believe that
there are many other friendships that are so lasting or so
satisfactory. Perhaps I can illustrate this point in no better
way than by relating the following incident. Mrs. Washington and
I were invited to attend a reception given by the Duke and
Duchess of Sutherland, at Stafford House--said to be the finest
house in London; I may add that I believe the Duchess of
Sutherland is said to be the most beautiful woman in England.
There must have been at least three hundred persons at this
reception. Twice during the evening the Duchess sought us out for
a conversation, and she asked me to write her when we got home,
and tell her more about the work at Tuskegee. This I did. When
Christmas came we were surprised and delighted to receive her
photograph with her autograph on it. The correspondence has
continued, and we now feel that in the Duchess of Sutherland we
have one of our warmest friends.
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