Untitled - Electric Scotland

1852-56] LADY WAKE S REMINISCENCES 185
"In the autumn of 1855 we, on our way north, spent
a de
lightful week at the Deanery, repeating the visit a month later
as we returned home, and by this means had the opportunity
of thoroughly understanding the extent and variety of the Dean s
work, while at the same time we had the full enjoyment of his
family life, which was delightful. There were now six children,
and only one, the third, was a boy ; the five little girls, from the
eldest to the youngest, were full of life, and had such a share in
all that was done that an additional spirit and animation was im
parted to everything. Mrs. Tait had the talent of thus blending
the children s life with that of their parents and their friends with
out making them little bores. In her charities and various minis
trations among the poor the three eldest, Catty, May, and little
Chatty (a peculiarly lovely child), were taught to be a real help,
winning the affections and cheering the sadness of numbers whose
various needs brought them under the influence of the Deanery,
while their active little fingers performed wonders in the clothing
club. Ah ! who could foresee the coming storm ? We were there
one Sunday, and that I might understand all that he was doing,
with the Dean s permission, I remained with him the whole day
(so far as I could without getting up into the pulpit). Besides
the two services in the Cathedral, at one of which he preached,
he found time for a most touching meeting in his night school
room with a number of old people and invalids who were not
able for a Cathedral service. He sat among them like a young
apostle, making choice of such portions of Scripture as brought
comfort, and hope, and strength to their failing powers ; pointing
out to them the bright Beyond to which the Saviour was beckon
ing them, and praying with them, no printed formula of prayer,
but the very voice of their hearts, taking to God all their infirmities
and wants. Later in the day there was a similar gathering of young
women, most of them mothers, to whom he spoke so earnestly
that they evidently hung upon his words. Later still there was
a children s class examined by him, and quite late in the evening,
when, exceedingly fatigued, I thought the duties of the day entirely
over, I found a most interesting gathering of young men in the
Dean s study, to whom he gave instruction more like that given
to the Sixth Form at Rugby, recognising in them the craving for
knowledge felt by thoughful and educated minds. That he secured
their attention so as deeply to interest them was evident, and the
influence obtained must have been real over those young minds,