Evening star., 1900-10-27

absence of city gates makes the queen $
golden kew unnecessary.

The Rector's Dinner Invitation.
When all is ready this wonderful outfit
of scarlet and gold, powder and dignity
marches out to the nearby Church of st.
Lawrence Jewr which has been honored
thus every year since Wren built the church
after the great fire. At the end of the
service the sword bearer invites the rector
to dine at the Mansion House after the
election is over. That invitation Is as much
a part of the ceremony as the election it,
self and if 1t Were not issued in the precise
| language at the psychological moment by
the proper official. it is conceivable that the
government of London would be shaken to
its foundation. The brilliant procession
marches back to the guild hall, all persons
who are not liverymen ordered off he
premises. and then the common crier de-
livers himself follows
'Oyez! OyeZ! Oyez,
"Ye good men of the livery of the sew
! eral companies of this city. summoned here
| person to be lord mayor of this city Cor the
| year ensuing, draw near and give your at
! tendance.
God save the uueenI"
! The city reporter steps forward and in
! forms the liverymen that the lord mayor
and the aldermen who have passed the
chair will now retire, in order not to influ
| ence the liverymen IN their choice of new
I lord mayor-juat as if every one were not
| perfectly well aware who was to be elected.
! After this precaution has been taken the
| common sergeant reads OH the names OF
the aldermen who have been Sheriffs but
| have not passed the cnair, each liveryman
| holding up his hand when the name of the
man of his choice is called. The lverymen
duly vote for the TWO candidates who have
| been aldermen longest, and then the result
! Of their grave deliberations ia taken by
/ the two sheriffs the common sergeant and
/ the common crier. carrying his mace, to the
| lord mayor and aldermen in the room ad
| joining, the message being too important to
| be lntruSted to any one diSnitary.
The Election Confirmed.
| After grave consideration of the respec-
| tive merits of the two approved candidates
and suitable pondering over the Importance
| of their decision the lord mayor and alder
men choose the senior of the two candi-
dates. and the defeated man is serene in
the knowledge that he will be chosen next
year. The Junior candidate this year was
Sir j. c. Dimsiale, and Il is reasonably GER
tain that at this time next year his style
ard title will be The Right Honorable, the
Lord Mayor Elect
The aldermen having chosen their man
the great news is carried back with due
pomp and ceremony to the eXpectant liv-
erymen. the lord mayor and his predeces-
| scrs file back into the common hall: the
| lord mayor elect has the chain of office
| placed about his neck by the SWordbearer
and steps forward TO thank the livery; it
! Is moved, seconded and carried that the
| present lord mayor be thanked, and then
| the right hOnOraDl@ the lOrd mayor elect
| seated beside the right honorable the lord
| mayor takes his first ride in the wonder
| fully glded wonderfully ancient and Won
| derfully uncomfortable state coach to the
| Mansion House, where the rector gets that
| dinner to which he was invited so Solemnly.
He Gets a Drink.
The mayor-elect has not passed all of his
perils until. in the last week of October
he is taken to the house of lords and pre-
/ cd to the lord rhapcpl1nr hat
! tionary, in robe of black and gold accom-
| panied by his mace, his ushers and his
! gorgeous purse bearer, informs the aspirant
| whether or not the queen approves him.
| AS matter of fact, she never thinks of
| disappearing. but that doesn't matter After
| this ordeal the lord chancellor and the new
| lord mayor drink rare old port In turn
from an official loving cup. and the mayor
| elect begins to feel reasonably certain of
| getting his office.
/ But the most oVerpoWering functions of
| all await him. The queerest comes on No
vember S, when he is admitted" in the
| Guildhall. The lord mayor the lord may
| or-elect and the aldermen take their seats
on the raised dais at what is called the
| hustings end of the hall. the city's mace is
put in position and then the town clerk
making the three Cow reverences" re-
quired by law, approaches the lord mayor-
! eject and administers the declaration of Of
, flee then backs away with three more rev.
| ererces.
, ThereupOn the city chamberlain advances
| with a corresponding series of reVerenccS
| and places the city's diamond scepter upon
| the table before the new dignitary. He re-
| tires with more reverences and then ad-
| vanCes with the seal of office, goes back
| again and makes a third trip with the
city : ancient purse, all the time howing
as IL he We're worked with a spring. Once
these relies are on the table they have to
be taken back again the same manner
but. luckily for the city chamberlain, it
| is his chief clerk who has this job.
In the same painful manner the city's
| sword and mace have to be toted forward
and then taken bacf. again with the pre-
| scrbed quantity of bows and reverences,