Nothing possibly could happen to keep the Joyal little man away from any Consular reception or patriotic gathering. English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, or Colonial—it mattered not to him so long as it was a first-rate function. No one begrudged him the wonderful amounts off cake and sand-wishes he would dispose of upon such occasions, for it was a pleasure to see the enthusiasm with which he would honour a patriot-ie toast and he gave his voice full play when the National Anthem was sung. Public gatherings were his hobby: he would start off the morning by attending one or other of the Courts,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.