Reflecting

Wednesday, December 23rd., Waterloo Road, Burslem.

I had a smooth passage over on Monday.

Yesterday I saw Pinker twice, and after some hesitation on his part, arranged that he should pay me £50 a month certain during 1904.

Pinker, Barry Pain and I lunched together. But Pain hadn't many new stories. He is usually reliable for entertainment at mealtimes. I heard that Mrs. Humphry Ward had £10,000 from Harpers for serial rights of "Lady Rose's Daughter", and that the book sold 400,000 in America alone. I can't say for sure that this is true, but it makes you think.

Woke up this morning at 4.30. Read de Maupassant, myself, and the Telegraph; but couldn't sleep again until 8.30. Strange to back in Burslem, but comforting in a way. I am looking forward to walking about, forming impressions, and getting ideas. I don't suppose Burslem has changed much, but I have and wonder how it will seem to me now? It would be easy to sneer at Potteries provincialism after living in Paris, but real life is here also.