280 Life and Times of " The Druid" 



among the boys. Nor can this be wondered 

 at, for the tall bent figure with the badly cut 

 grey suit, old-fashioned hat, gaiters and huge 

 hockey stick, the ensemble being completed 

 by a shepherd's plaid shawl thrown over the 

 shoulders, was a sight calculated to upset the 

 gravity of boys who are naturally prone to be 

 biassed by external appearances. 



They thought that his presence there was 

 probably a mistake, but, when after several 

 somewhat dry and formal speeches the queer 

 figure moved to the front of the platform, the 

 careworn face lighted up and the apparently 

 old man became for the moment almost a boy 

 again, whilst delivering a bright telling speech, 

 full of reminiscence and speaking to boys as 

 only one who knew them and their ways 

 could speak, the feeling of partial contempt 

 melted into one of respect and admiration, and 

 he was ever afterwards sure of a grand recep- 

 tion. 



His religion was as bright and cheerful as 

 his natural temperament. From his earliest 

 youth, he had a deep reverence for holy 

 things. A few minutes before midnight on 

 Saturday, he always laid aside his writings, 



