This mostly works for me, but I get nothing on the first line
unless I also
include a \set stanza.
verseOne = \lyricmode {
\set stanza = #"1."
\set shortVocalName = "1."
\override InstrumentName #'X-offset = #2
\override InstrumentName #'font-series = #'bold
Here is a ver -- se a -- bout the cats.
}
To get exactly the same appearance on each line, you can remove \set
stanza "1." and replace it by \set vocalName = "1."
vocalName applies to the first line and shortVocalName to the other
lines.
Frédéric