Page:On the Coromandel Coast.djvu/47

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brochure that appeared shortly after this date in the columns of the leading newspaper of Madras, 'The Madras Mail.' It was called ' The Leaky Palace,' and it created a good deal of amusement at the time. Written in an archaic style, it made fun of Government House at Ootacamund, upon which a considerable amount of money had been spent in an endeavour to make the building water-tight.

Archdeacon Drury, with whom my husband was associated at St. George's Cathedral, was the son of George Dominic Drury, of the Company's Civil Service. His mother was Marianne Graham, the daughter of General Graham, who distinguished himself in the wars in South India during the latter part of the eighteenth century. The archdeacon was born at Pondicherry in 1823, and was sent home to be educated at Eton. Report said that the Duke of Buckingham, who was Governor of Madras in 1877, and also an old Etonian, had once been Drury's fag.

In the absence of the bishop on tour, the archdeacon played the part of guide, philosopher, and friend to the newly arrived chaplain. By his invitation we occupied half his house. He was living by himself; his wife, the second Mrs. Drury, being in England. His first wife was Martha Mary, the daughter of the Kev. Robert Salkeld, Rector of Fontmell, in Dorsetshire. Her brother, Lieutenant Salkeld, was one of the devoted band that blew in the Cashmere gate at Delhi (1857).

The archdeacon was a popular man, kind and genial to all. His name will live in Madras in connexion with the building of Emmanuel Church in South Georgetown and of the Parcherry School for poor Eurasians now known by his name. As archdeacon he was the right man in the right place. He liked the work, and thoroughly enjoyed the warm climate of the town in which he was obliged to live. As a rule his health was excellent;