" What is your Name? "

Manawatu Herald, 24 September 1896, Page 3

" What is your Name? "

" The late Archbishop Thompson, who was keenly appreciative in all matters which concerned the laity, aud especially desirous in his social intercourse of removing any barrier which bis episcopal rank might tend to create, had nevertheless a dignity of presence and solemnity of address which not infrequently defeated the* object he had in view. It was cua* tomary for the officers of the garrison at Yor'< to drop in informally at tea time at Bishopthorpe. The archbishop was often present An officer who had lately joined the York garrison having expressed his intense awe of archbishops in tha abstract, an opening was at once seen fur a mild practical j ke. He was assured that even his worst fears could not approach the reality. While it was obvious tbac he mu9t in common civility pay the call, he was warned in a friendly way that the. catechism would be a certain topic of conversation, and an immediate study of the collect for tbe day wa? suggested. Whatever portions of these warnings tbe new cormr chose to disre gard, there is no doubt that, coupled with his intense natural shyness, they made his first afternoon call (in company with his brother officers) a source of the most intense misery which was evident to all present. The arohbisbop noticing this shy stranger, whom he had not met before, endeavoured to draw him into conversation. Under tbe circumstances nothing could have been more disastrous than his opening re- | mark. Speaking in hia full sonorous bass tonet as he turned to regard tbe speaker, he uttered the words, " What is your nama ?*' •• It is the I catechism," thought the unfortunate object of the enquiry, with a consternation nothing could bide, while the archbishop looked mildly round at his gaesr, wondering at the effect {of his simplfl remark. Subsequent efforts at conversation were doom d to failure, and the party broke up. When, several days afterwards, the real story reached Biahopthorpe, no | one enjoyed it more heartily than ; the archbishop himself." From the 1 Windsor Magazine for August.