Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-01-26
MISC Y.
Dickens Christmas Story.
The Seven Poor Travellers,
tFrom Household words.]
IMP TIRgr,


Iravelers-but, being q traveller myself
though an idle one, and being withal as poor
Us hope to be, brought the number up tc
seven. This word of explanation ia due at
once, for what says the inscription over the
quaint old door
Richard Watts, ESQ.,
By his Will, dated ~ Aug 1870,
founded this Charity
for Six poor Travellers,
who not being Rogues or Proctors
May receive gratis ior one Night
Lodging, Entertainment,
and four.pence each.
1t was in the ancient little city Of RUchcs-
ter in Kent, Of all the good days in the year
upon Christmas Eve, that | stood reading
this inscription over the quaint old door in
question. | had been wandering about the
ncighborng Cathedral, and had seen the
tomb Of Richard Watts. with the eligy of
worthy Master Richard starting out of it
like ships figure -head-and had felt that
l could do no less, as gave the Verger his
fee, than inquire the way to Watts Charity.
The way being short md very plain, 1 had
come prospcrously to the inscription and the
quaint old door.
Now, said | to myself, as looked at the
knocker, know | am not Proctor; won
der whether am Rogucl =
Upon the whole, though Conscience repro
duced two or three pretty faces which might
have had smaller attraction for moral Co.
Hath than they had had for ne, who am but
Tom Thumb in that way, | came to the
| conclusion that was not rogue. So, be-
ginning to regard the establishment as in
some sort my property, bequeathed to me and
/ divers co-legatees, share and share alike. by
the Worshptul Master Richard Watts, /
stepped backward into the road to survey
my Inheritance.
| found it to be a clean white house, of n
staid and venerable air, with the quaint old
door already three times mentioned, ian
arched door.) choice little long low lattice
windows, aud a roof of three gables The
silent High street Of Rochester is full of ga
! bles, with old beams and tlmbers caryed'into
strange faces. 1t is oddly garnshed with
! queer old clock that projects over the pave
mcnt out of grave red brick building as if
III ,ilno es~'ied on business there, and hung out
stroke of work in Rochestei :. Oh III Ji..
of the Romans, and the Saxons, and tie SNufo
mans, and down to the times of King john
when the rugged castle--l will not undertake
to say how many hundred years old then
was abandoned to the centuries of weather
which have so deiaced the dark aportures in
its walls, that the ruin looks as if the rocks
and DAVIS had picked its eyes out.
! | was very well pleased both with my pro.
perty and its situation. While | was vet
surveying it with a growing content, espied
at one Of the upper lattices which stood open
IA decent body, of wholesome matronly ap-
pearance, whose eyes | caught inquiringly
addressed to mine. They said so plainly,
| Do you wish to see the house = that |
answered aloud, Yes, if you please And
in a minute the old door opened and / bent
my head, and went down two steps into the
| entry.
This, said the matronly presence, usher.
| ing me into low room on tho right, is
where the travellers sit by the FIRE and cook
what bits Of supper they buy with their four
pences.'
Oh, Then thsy have no Entertainment .
| said l. For the inscription over the outer door
WAS still running in my head ,und was men
tally repeating IN kind of tune, Lodging,
cntertninmen. and fourrance each
They have fire provided for EN-, return
ed the matron-a mighty civil person, not, as
| could make out, overpaid " and these
cooking utensils. And this what is painted
on board, is the rules for their behavior -
They have their fourpences when they get
their tickets from the steward over the way
for don admit 'em myself, they must get
their tickets frst-and sometimes one buys a
rasher of bacon, and another a herring, and
another pound of potatoes, or what not
Sometimes, two, or three OF EN- will club
their tourpcnces together, and make supper
that way But, not much Of anything is to
be got for fourpence, at present when proyis-
ion is so dear
True, indeed, remarked. 1 had been
looking about the room, admiring its snug
fre-side at the upper end, its glimpse of the
street through the low mullioned window,
and its beams overhead, 1t svery comfort
able said |.
III convenient observed the matronly
presence.
! liked to hear her say so for it showed a
commendable anxiety to execute in no niggard
spirit the intentions of Master Richard
Watts. But the room was really so we'll
adapted to its purpose that protested quite
enthusiastically, against her disparagement.
Nay, ma am, lid |, am sure it is
warm in winter and cool in summer. 1t has
a look of homely welcome and soothing rest.
1t has a remarkably cOsey tireside, the very
blink of which, cleaning out into the street
upon winter nights enough to warm all Ro-
chester's heart. And as to the convenience
Of the six Poor Travelers-'
don't mean them, returned the pres.
ence. Il speak of its being an ill-conwe-
nience to myself and mydaughter. having no
other room to sit in Of night
This was true enough, but there was an
other quaint room Of corresponding dimen-
sons On the opposite side of the entry SO,
stepped across TO it, through the open doors
of both rooms, and asked what this chamber
was for1
Ihis, returned the presence, is the
Board Room. Where the gentlemen meet
when they come here
Let me see. I had counted from the street
six upper windows besides these on the ground
story. Making perplexed calculation in my
mind, | rejoined. Then the six Poor Travel,
lers sleep upstairs
My new friend shook her head. They
sleep she answered, in two little outer gal
leries at the back, where their beds has al
ways been, ever since the Charity was found
ed, 1t being so very ill-conweniont to as
things is at present, the gentlemen are going
TO take of a bit of the back yard and make Q
slip of a room for EN- thore, to sit in before
they GO to bed
And the six Poor Travellers, said |, viii
DO entirely out of the housel
Entirely out of the house, assented the
presence, comfortably smoothing her hands
Which is considered much better for all par
ties, and much more convenient,
had been little startled, in the cathe
dral, by the emphasis with which the efhg,
Of Master Richard Watts was bursting out o
his tomb ; but began to think, now, tina
might be expected to come across tho Iigl
Street some stormy night, and mako dis
turtance here
llovbeit, kopt my thoughts to myself
4 and accompanied the presence to the littl
. galleries at the back. | found thom, on a tin,
scale, like the galleries in old inn yards AMI
they we're very clean. While | was lookin,
az them, the matron gave me to understanl
that the prescribed number of Poor Traveller
were forthcoming every night from years en-,
20 year 5 end and that the beds were alway
occupied My questions upon this, and he
replies, brought us hack to the Board Room
50 essential to the dignity of the gentlemen
vhere she showed me the printed accounts u
tlre Charity hanging up by the window =
From them gathered thatthe greater part o
the property bequeathed by the Worshipfu
Master Richard Watts for the manteuanc
of this foundation, was, ut the period Of Iii