Evening journal., 1912-09-24
HIS
OCCUPATION
BY ALBERT KENYON

ing Cross and one afternoon strolled
down Whitehall street and entered
Green park at the horse guards. Pass
ing on through the park to Queen Vic
toria's statue opposite Buckingham
palace, l stopped to look at it no
ticed a man standing before the statue
admiring It and asked him II he could
tell any interesting facts concerning
its construction. He replied very CIV
lily and proved quite an admirable
guide. He was evidently not polish
ed gentleman. for he was plainly dress
ed and misapplied his his.
"'Er majesty" he said. twas one OF
the finest sovereigns that hever lived.
Hi was In the public service under er
for many years. durin' which 'er peo-
pie was 'appier than at hany other
reign, though that 'appiness was con-
tinued under the reign OF 'er gracious
son King Hedward."
did your Office bring you in con.
tact at all with the queen?"
"Hil In contact with 'er majesty
Not HI, SIR. al never sor 'er except
when she was bout barring But HI
was hoften at court. SIR
HAD you duties thereT
NO sir. III 'ad no duties at court:
HI went there to see the nota bles.
SIR"
II presume you could give bits of in
formation about many royal and emil
nent people"
Yes, sir. Hive seen Justice B. often
and Justice w. occasionally and many
Of the most heminent barristers IN
England"
ARMY magnates?"
mo. SIR. HI never met any army
officer. But HI once met a parson. Hi
'ad official connection with him. sir"
I'm what way?"
HE was dom too much talkin'. Very
windy. sir. Hi shut it of"
was puzzled TO make the fellow
out. At this bit of information I fan
cied he might be a sergeant-at-arms or
something Of the kind attached to the
residence OF some one Of the royalties.
employed to see that no inadmlssible
person forced his way into the palace.
or If such succeeded IN getting there
1t was his duty to put him out. Hav
ing been brought up to consider ques-
lions as to peoples business I'll bred.
refrained from asking him what his
Office was. let him 60 on talking ex-
pecting that in time he would state It
Of his own accord
eft must have taken a fine lot O.
cordage 10 swing that block o. marble
into position. sir" said my companion.
Il don't think they used much cord.
age for the purpose" / replied. at
would only be needed to guide the
mass as 1t was swung on to its pedes
tai They doubtless used chains TO
lift It."
'Now, really, HI wouldn't "a thought
that Hi should think ropes would be
better. Chains might break the marble,
sir. They couldn't ave swung It by
the neck. could they, sir?"
looked at the man surprised. He
appeared to be sufficiently intelligent
TO know that a statue would not be
lifted on 10 its pedestal by the neck.
what made you think they would
do II in that wayT l asked.
''Well. sir, 1t seems TO me the nat.
ural way TO lift a person"
with roper You would break a
living persons neck by lifting him
that way"
"But you wouldn't break a marble
persons neck"
''I think you would IN this case. The
figure Is solid and must weigh a great
many tons"
"And It wouldn't do. sir-not in this
case-to swing 'er most gracious majes
ty even in marble by the neck. 'Eaven
forbid that hany OF 'er loyal subjects
should think o. such a thIngl Hits
rank treason. sir"
He seemed terribly shocked.
was not especially edited by this
latter part OF his chat though before
he got on to It he talked sensibly
enough. so I thanked him for the in
formation he had given me and start
ed away, saying:
II expect to go to court soon. Per.
haps ] shall have some attention from
you there in your official capacity"
ali shall try to make 1t as easy as
possible for you, sir. II you do"
This added so largely to my curios-
ity that | was sorry had not asked
him the nature OF the position he held
He was not a gentleman and likely
would not have taken IT amiss. How
ever, II was now too late.
Some time after this l was walking
on oxford street with my friend Har
grave, a Londoner. when | saw ap-
preaching the man had met at the
statue. 1t did not occur TO me to ask
Hargrave who he was. for had no
idea he would know
do you see this man comingT' ask
ID Hargrave.
Eyes"
Hes Calcraft, the hangmsn."
Then 1 understood the mans refer
ences TO court-that he meant a legal
court instead Of a royal court, ap
preciated his horror as loyal subject
OF Queen Victoria at the idea OF put
ting rope around his soverelgn's
neck even In stone Brit 1 was more
especially affected at the remembrance
C his words when / told him | ex-
pected 10 go to court soon. "Hi shall
try to make II as easy as possible for
you. SIR"
Since that memorable interview |
have never passed Queen victoria's
statue without thinking OF CaIcraft and