When we reached
the cottage where the child lived, H. R. H. went straight up to
the little girl's room, and stayed talking to her for an hour, to
the child's immense joy. Two days later the little girl died, but
she had been made very happy meanwhile.
A little thing perhaps; but there are not many people in Queen
Alexandra's position who would have taken an eight-mile drive in
an open cart on a stormy and rainy April afternoon in order to
avoid disappointing a dying child, of whose very existence she had
been unaware that morning.
It is the kind heart which inspires acts like these which has
drawn the British people so irresistibly to Queen Alexandra.
CHAPTER IV
Chittenden's--A wonderful teacher--My personal experiences as a
schoolmaster--My "boys in blue"--My unfortunate garments--A "brave
Belge"--The model boy, and his name--A Spartan regime--"The Three
Sundays"--Novel religious observances--Harrow--"John Smith of
Harrow"--"Tommy" Steele--"Tosher"--An ingenious punishment--John
Farmer--His methods--The birth of a famous song--Harrow school
songs--"Ducker"--The "Curse of Versatility"--Advancing old age--
The race between three brothers--A family failing--My father's
race at sixty-four--My own--A most acrimonious dispute at Rome--
Harrow after fifty years.
Pages:
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149