but when John considered the circumstances in which Uncle Matthew had
been dismissed, he felt satisfied that his uncle, so far from having
behaved foolishly, had behaved with great courage and chivalry. Uncle
Matthew, so the story went, had been in Belfast a few days after the
day on which Queen Victoria had died, and had stopped in Royal Avenue
for a few moments to read an advertisement which was exhibited in the
window of a haberdasher's shop. These are the words which he read in
the advertisement:

* * * * *

WE MOURN

OUR

DEPARTED QUEEN

* * * * *

MOURNING ORDERS PROMPTLY

EXECUTED

* * * * *

When he had read through the advertisement twice, Uncle Matthew broke
the haberdasher's window!

He was seized by a policeman, and in due time was brought before the
magistrates who, in addition to fining him and compelling him to pay