Avon Fantasy Reader No. 12 — page 108: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

what do you think of that?’ ‘Why,’ says my father, ‘I don’t think I ave the pleasure of knowing that view. Would that be Hereford Cathedral, Mr. Dean?’ ‘No, Worby, says the Dean, ‘that’s Southminster Cathedral as we hope to see it before many years. ‘In-deed, sir,’ says my father, and that was all he did say-—leastways to the Deau—but he used to tell me he felt reelly faint in himself when he looked round our choir as I can remember it, all comfortable and furnished-like, and then see this nasty little dry picter, as he called it, drawn out by some London architect. Well, there I am again. But you'll see what I mean if you look at this old view.” Worby reached down a framed print from the wall. “Well, the long and the short of it was that the Dean he handed over to my father a copy of an order of the Chapter that he was to clear out every bit of the choir—make a clean sweep—ready for the new work that was bein designed up in town, and he was to put it in hand as soon as everhe could get the breakers together. Now then, sir, if you look at that view, you'll sce where the pulpit used to stand: that’s what I want you to notice, if you please.” It was, indeed, easily seen; an unusually arge structure of timber with a domed soundingboard, standing at the east end of the stalls on the north side of the choir, facing the bishop’s throne. Wonby proceeded to explain that during the altera- tions, services were held in the nave, the members of the choir being thereby disappointed of an anticipated holiday, and the organist in particular incurring the suspicion of having wilfully damaged the mechanism of the temporary organ that was hired ‘at considerable expense from London. The work of demolition began with the choir screen and organ loft, and proceeded gradually eastwards, disclosing, as Worby said, many interesting features of older work. While this was going on, the mem- bers of the Chapter were, naturally, in and about the choir a great deal, and it soon became apparent to the elder Worby—who could not help overhearing some of their talk—that, on the part of the senior Canons especially, there must have been a guod deal of disagreement before the policy now being carried out had been adopted. Some were of opinion that they should catch their deaths of cold in the return-stalls, unprotected by a screen from the draughts in the nave: others objected to being exposed to the views of persons in the choir aisles, especially, they said, during the sermons, when they found it helpful to listen in a posture which was liable to misconstruction. The strongest opposition, however, came from the oldest of the body, who up to the last moment objected to the removal of the pulpit. “You ought not to touch it, Mr. Dean,” he said with great emphasis one morning, when the two were standing before it: “you don’t now what mischief you may do.” “Mischief? it’s not a work of any particular merit, Canon.” “Don't call me Canon,” said the old man with great 106 comicbooks.com