It was very characteristic of John to refuse
this offer, and to go of his own accord into a pauper asylum,
where he combined the duties of chaplain and butler until his
death. John was buried at Harrow, and by his own wish no bell was
tolled, and his coffin was covered with scarlet geraniums, as a
sign of rejoicing. I know how I should describe John, were I
preaching a sermon.
Another mildly eccentric Harrow master was the Rev. T. Steele,
invariably known as "Tommy." His peculiarities were limited to his
use of the pronoun "we" instead of "I," as though he had been a
crowned head, and to his habit of perpetually carrying, winter and
summer, rain or sunshine, a gigantic bright blue umbrella. He had
these umbrellas specially made for him; they were enormous, the
sort of umbrellas Mrs. Gamp must have brought with her when her
professional services were requisitioned, and they were of the
most blatant blue I have ever beheld. Old Mr. Steele, with his
jovial rubicund face, his flowing white beard, and his bright blue
umbrella, was a species of walking tricolour flag.
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