When Wilde met his match

SIR: On reading Postcards from the Edge (August issue), I thought I’d mention my grandmother who worked many years ago as chief bookkeeper for the Eastbourne Hotel. At one time she had Oscar Wilde and Lord Bosie staying there. Wilde seemed very reluctant to pay his hotel bill; so grandmother went over to ask him to settle his account.

Flourishing his hands he said, ‘Out of my way, mere woman.’ My grandmother was so incensed that she trotted over in her black, laced-up, heeled boots, lifted her leg and stamped as hard as she could on his foot. Ouch! As she was very tiny and five foot nothing, it was quite an achievement. There was nothing Wilde could do about it and the bill was promptly paid. Sweet retribution!

I don’t know about Bosie being a very unpleasant person, but one is inclined to have some doubts about Wilde. Primrose Hughes, Queensland, Australia