The Washington herald., 1913-09-28

be at least chilly, or, IL not that. toler-
ably damp.
They Carry Flowers.
What would first strike an American
as funny would be the sight OF the city
recorder and the city remembrance each
| carrying in his hand little bunch Of
flowers. This. like most of the ceremony,
was inherited from the Dark Ages. II
appears that when knighthood was in
! flower the Guild Hall had no sewerage
| system, and consequently was permeated
\ by an atmosphere not wholly pleasing
| even to the sense of a Britisher OF that
period. Because of that it became the
duty Of those two officials to bring
| flowers with the idea of overcoming the
odors While the Guild Hall now has a
complete drainage system, the flowers
are still a part of the ceremony. Since
there really is no practical use for the
| flowers the city recorder and the city
remembrance have reduced the quantity
of the flowers to a minimum and carry
only small bouquets.
When all is ready this wonderful out
ft of scarlet and gold. power and dig
nifty, marches out of the Guild Hall to
| the nearby Church of st. Lawrence
Jewry, which has been honored thus ev-
cry year since it was built after the great
| fire.
Once the service is over the sword
| bearer invites the rector to dine after
| the election. This is an important part
of the ceremony. Ever since London has
been electing Lord Mayors the sword
| bearer has invited the rector to dine
II the sword bearer didn't just use the
proper Words-he became confused and
| invited the rector to have a drink in
stead of to dine-the government of
Great Britain would be shaken to its
| foundations
Forming in line in the order of rank
the brilliant procession marches back to
| the Guild Hall, all persons who are not
liverymen are ordered off the premises,
and then the common crier delivers him
self as follows:
"Oyez! OyeZ, Oyer,
"Ye good men of the livery of the sew
eral companies. summoned to appear
here this day for the election of a fit
an able person to be Lord Mayor of this
city for the ensuing year. draw near
and give your attention.
God save the King
Great care Is taken to see that the
liverymen are not influenced in any way.
CEvery one knows who is going to be
elected, but it makes il more interesting
TO act as if you didn'D. The city re-
porter announces that the aldermen are
voting, so that their presence may not
influence the liverymen. The liverymen
vote for the two aldermen who have
been members of the board longest, and
then the result of their grave delibera-
ton Is taken by the two Sheriffs, the
common sergeant and the common crier
to the Lord Mayor and the aldermen in
an adjoining room. After the solemn
announcement has been made the Lord
Mayor and the aldermen choose the
senior of the two candidates. and the de-
feated man is serene i'm the knowledge
that he will be chosen next year
Having selected their victim. the alder
men and the Lord Mayor file back to
the Common Hall. where every one con-
cerned and the Lord Mayor-elect thank
the liverymen; the chain of Office is
placed about the neck of the Right Hon
the Lord Mayor-elect, and he, with the
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor embark in
the wonderfully gilded. wonderfully
ancient. and wonderfully uncomfortable
state coach which is the Right Hon. the
Lord Mayor-elect's first ride in that re-
markable vehicle. On arrival at the
Mansion House the official rector gets
the dinner he was so solemnly promised
by the sword bearer. You'd suppose that
having invited the rector to dine that the
sword bearer would give the dinner in
his own house. But he doesn't. He holds
it in the home OF the Right Hon. the
Lord Mayor, and probably the Right
Hon. the Lord Mayor has to pay for it,
too.
That ends the election of the Lord
Mayor, but he has more trouble in store
for him. most OF which falls about No
vember ., when he is indicted into Of
fee with even a more remarkable cere-
mony than that which took place at
his election.