I think, too,
that the Verger enjoyed his little joke.
In that same Chapel Royal I listened to the most eloquent and
beautiful sermon I have ever heard in my life, preached by Dean
Magee (afterwards Archbishop of York) on Christmas Day, 1866. His
text was: "There were shepherds abiding in the fields." That
marvellous orator must have had some peculiar gift of sympathy to
captivate the attention of a child of ten so completely that he
remembers portions of that sermon to this very day, fifty-four
years afterwards.
To my great delight I discovered a little door near our joint
bedroom which led directly into the gallery of St. Patrick's Hall.
Here the big dinners of from seventy to ninety people were held,
and it was my delight to creep into the gallery in my dressing-
gown and slippers and watch the brilliant scene below. The stately
white-and-gold hall with its fine painted ceiling, the long tables
blazing with plate and lights, the display of flowers, the jewels
of the ladies and the uniforms of the men, made a picture very
attractive to a child.
Pages:
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134