Читать книгу H. G. Hawker, airman: his life and work онлайн

4 страница из 69

His buoyant nature did not admit of defeat. I have never seen him disheartened and never has he given in. He always did his very best, and was ever ready to try again when that best was not good enough.

At the height of his popularity he declined good financial offers for lecturing tours in England and the States, which would have kept him for the rest of his life. Money could not divert him from his calling.

His goodness of heart would never let him turn away anyone in distress, and, in this, lack of discrimination played a big part.

Many people came to the house after his attempt to fly the Atlantic, with pitiful tales of woe. One, a musician, who said he had fallen on bad times, wanted a loan of £10, stating that he was a member of the Queen’s Hall Orchestra, in which he played a mandoline. He got his £10, but I do not believe the mandoline has ever figured amongst the instruments in the Queen’s Hall Orchestra.

A few days later another musician, very probably a friend of the first, arrived, but Harry said he would not see him. However, he was so persistent that Harry saw him at last, and heard his tale, which was to the effect that unless he could get a certain sum of money he would be sold up the next day, and, rather than that, he intended taking his life that night, although he had a wife and child. With tears, he asked if his life was not worth the few pounds, which he would surely return within a month. He received his cheque, left some of his own compositions for me to try, which he said he would call for when he repaid his debt, and was never seen again.