Page:Dr Stiggins, His Views and Principles.pdf/74

 kind; we all drove over to Mr. Gupp's palatial villa at Clapham, and I assure you that I have never seen a more pleasant sight than the innocent mirth of our maidens—they had brought a few gentlemen friends with them—as they sported in the shade of Mr. Gupp's back-garden. Tea was served in the parlour, with ham and tarts galore, and afterwards all joined in the singing of the grand old psalm:—

Ten thousand at left-hand shall fall, Ten thousand at thy right, But none shall harm thee not at all, Nor nothing thee affright.

Then there were the speeches; a gentleman told us about the hardships of a missionary's life in the South Seas, of the bitter persecution to which he himself had been subjected by a Popish Power, for the "offence" of causing a law to be passed by which drawing water on the Sabbath Day was made punishable by hard labour for life. Then a young gentleman, a student, I believe, of the Guildhall School, and evidently a person of great talents,