bazaar for the compliment that had been paid her in their invitation, and then proceeded as follows:
"I think we all know very well what a bazaar is.
It is peculiar and distinctive; it is a way of charming
the money out of our pockets. We wish it to
be charmed to-day, because we always know when
such money is obtained it is for a good purpose.
Sometimes it is for a hospital, frequently it is for
the restoration of a parish church. That is our object
this afternoon. Now, there are some people
who say that a parish church does not always require
repair, but in this special case you cannot possibly
offer that as an excuse for not spending your
money. The parish church of Henley-in-Arden is
in a very sad state; indeed, there are holes in the
wooden floor through which rats and mice, quite
uninvited, may come to prayers. Also the pavement
of the central aisle is so broken up that it has
literally risen in wrath, and become divided against
itself. I hope this day you will come forward with
your money and make the parish church a thing of
beauty and a joy forever. It is a very old building.
It is, I believe, five or six hundred years old, and all
that time it has been a place of prayer and praise.
I am sure you will not allow it to suffer, or fall into
neglect and ruin at your hands. Now, I want you
to set your hearts to the tune of generosity this
afternoon, and I want you to spend regardless of
expense; I want you to be absolutely extravagant
and reckless. The bazaar is full of very pretty
things, some useful, some not useful, but all ornamental;
and I can only recommend you to buy
everything in the place. In the words of the Immortal
Bard, whose very spirit permeates the whole
of your beautiful county,
Leave not a wrack behind!
