d,inaloudvoice,sothatnoneshouldmisshishoneyedwords,"we,theinhabitantsofLittlePrimpton,welcomeyoutoyourhome.Ineednotsaythatitiswithgreatpleasurethatwehavegatheredtogetherthisdaytoofferyouourcongratulationsonyoursafereturntothosethatloveyou.Ineednotremindyouthatthereisnoplacelikehome.("Hear,hear!"fromtheVicar.)Weareproudtothinkthatourfellow-parishionershouldhavegainedthecovetedgloryoftheVictoriaCross.LittlePrimptonneednotbeashamednowtoholdupitsheadamongtheproudestcitiesoftheEmpire.Youhavebroughthonourtoyourself,butyouhavebroughthonourtousalso.YouhaveshownthatEnglishmenknowhowtodieyouhaveshowntherivalnationsoftheContinentthatthepurityandthegodlinessofOldEnglandstillbearfruit.ButIwillsaynomoreIwishedonlytoutterafewwordstowelcomeyouonbehalfofthosewhocannot,perhaps,expressthemselvessowellasIcan.Iwillsaynomore.CaptainParsons,wehopethatyouwilllivelongtoenjoyyourhonourandglory,sidebysidewithherwhoistoshortlybecomeyourwife.Iwouldonlyassureyouthatyourexamplehasnotbeenlostuponusweallfeelbetter,nobler,andmoretrulyChristian.Andwesaytoyou,nowthatyouhaveovercomealldangersandtribulation,nowthatyouhavereturnedtothebosomofyourbelovedfamily,takeherwhohasalsogivenusanexampleofresignation,ofcourage,andof—andofresignation.Takeher,wesay,andbehappyconfidentintherespect,esteem,andaffectionofthepeopleofLittlePrimpton.JamesBrown,whohasthehonourtobearthesameChristiannameasyourself,andisalsothetopboyoftheParishSchool,willnowreciteashortpoementitled'Casabianca.'
Mr.Drylandhadwishedtocomposeanodeespeciallyfortheoccasion.Itwouldevidentlyhavebeeneffectivetowelcomethehero,toglorifyhisdeed,andtopointthemoralinafeworiginalversesbut,unhappily,themusewasfroward,whichwassingular,sincetheéliteofLittlePrimptonhadunimpeachablemorals,idealsofthemostapprovedcharacter