Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/183

 the Savage Club, sends the following notes as to H. H.'s association with that club:

"Sir John Henniker Heaton's Membership dating back to the year 1885, he was among the oldest members, and there was none more closely identified with the home life of the Club. He frequently lunched in Adelphi Terrace, particularly on Saturdays, when there was generally a gathering of familiar spirits who exchanged the latest stories from Fleet Street and the City with Sir John's chit-chat from the House of Commons. After lunch he usually stayed on for a game of Bridge—to the end maintaining that straight Bridge was better than all your Auctions. Sir John always said that he went to the Savage Club for rest and recreation and his fellow-members made a rule that postal grievances and the Postmaster-General should never be mentioned in his hearing.

"He would forget that such things existed in the pleasure of hearing Odell give 'Harvest Home' or Willie Nichols sing 'On the Road to Mandalay.' Some brilliant lightning sketches done by 'Tom Brown' he carried away and had framed in his library. The walls of the Club are decorated with a picture of Sir John, Mostyn Pigott, and others playing a round game, called Spelka, which had its genesis in the Club and of which Sir John was an enthusiastic player.

"The Saturday night House dinners of the Savage Club are world famous and year after year Sir John was invited to take the chair. Among the memorable occasions on which he presided, may be recalled the dinner of 21st February 1903 when the Club entertained his great friend, Signor Marconi, when a special menu was drawn by the well-known sea painter, Charles Dixon.

"Another brilliant menu, preserved in the Club archives, is from the brush of John Hassall, R.I., in