The Choir School of
St. Bede’s
BY
FREDERICK HARRISON
Author of “Wynport College”
WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMILY A. COOK
BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED
LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY
CONTENTS.
| Chap. | Page | |
| I. | The New Solo-boy | 5 |
| II. | The First of April | 23 |
| III. | Alfred at the Deanery | 40 |
| IV. | The Key to the Sums | 50 |
| V. | The Paper-chase | 62 |
| VI. | At Mr. Cottenham’s | 70 |
| VII. | Polly at School | 82 |
| VIII. | The Old Pit | 92 |
IT was a lovely morning, about eleven o’clock,and the boys of the cathedral choir of St.Bede’s were playing in the cloister of thegrand old church. There was a square plot ofgrass in the centre, where the boys used toamuse themselves during the intervals of school-work;when it was wet they would walk roundthe covered cloister.
One boy, of about eleven years, was standingby himself, looking shyly on without taking anypart in the games of the others. He was leaningagainst a stone pillar, when one of the biggerboys came up to him.
“You’re the new probationer solo-boy, aren’tyou?” he demanded.
[6]“Yes,” replied Alfred Davidson, for that washis name.
“Where do you come from?”
“From Darlton.”
“What’s your father?”
“He’s an engineer on a ship.”
“On board of a man-of-war?”
“No; on one of the big ships that go toAustralia,” replied Alfred.
“I suppose you think no small cheese of yourselfnow you’ve got a place in the choir, don’tyou?” said the other with a sneer.
“I am very pleased to get into this choir, as Iam fond of music, and I hope I shall be anorganist some day,” replied Alfred.
“Organist!” laughed the other. “You’ll neverbe fit for anything except to blow the organ. Isuppose you would consider that assistant-organist?”
“Certainly! some people aren’t good enougheven for that,” replied Alfred, moving behindthe stone pillar.