The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-10-19

~ lS n suSSSSS
| | do not hesitate to pronounce it as such.
You may make any use of this opinion
that you see fit. If you think its publica-
tion will subswerve the cause of literatoor,
you may publicate it.
l told my wife Betsy when left home
that should go to the birthplace Of the
orthur of Otheiler and other plays. She
said that as long as | kept out of Newgste
she didn't care where l went. "But,' |
said, 'don't you know he was the greatest
poit that ever lived? Not one of these
common potts, like that young idyit who
writes verses to our daughter, about the
roses that growses, and the breezes as
hlowses-but a boss poit--a!so pailoso-
,her, also a man who knew great deal
about everything
She was packing my things at the time,
and the only answer she made was to ask
me if | was goin' to carry both of my red
flannel night caps.
Yes. I've been to Stratford onto the
Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare. Mr..
s. is now no more. He's been dead over
three hundred (30o) years. The peple Of
his native town are justly proud Of him.
They cherish his mem'ry, and them as sells
pieturs OF mis- birthplace, Sc, make it pro
titable cherishin' it. Almost everybody
buys rictur to put into their albion.
As | stood gazing on the spot where
| Shakespeare is s'posed to have fell down on
| the ice and hurt himself when boy, (this
spot cannot be bought-the town anthori-
ties say it shall never be taken from STRAIT
| ford), wondered if three hundred years
1 hence pictures of mi birthplace will be in
demand? win the people of my native
town be proud Of me IN three hundred
years? guess they won't short Of that
time, because they say the fat man weigh
in 1000 pounds which | exhibited there
was stuffed out with pliers and cushions,
which he said one very hot day IN July,
"Oh, bother. l can't stand this and com
menced pullin' the pliers out from under
his weskit, aud heayin' EN- at the audi
ence. | never saw a man loose flesh so fast
in my life The audience said | was a
pretty man come chiselin' my own towns
men in that way. said, "Do not be angry,
Teller citizens: exhibited him simply as a
work of art | simply wished to show you
thai man could grow fat without the aid
of cod liver oil.' But they wouldn't listen
to me. They are low and grovelin' set of
people, who excite feelin' Of loathin' in
every breast where lorfty emotions and
original ideas have abidin place.
stopped at bennington few minits on
my way to Stratford onto the Avon, and a
very beautiful town it is. l went into q
shoe shop to make purchis, and rs | en-
/ tered ! saw over the door those dear fami-
liar words, ''By Appointment: H. r. H.
and | said 10 the man, esquire, excuse
me, but this Is too much l have seen in
! Londcn four hundred boots and shoes by
appointment, II. Il H; and now you're at
II, n. -. ~, ~, hot ba 20
can wear 400 pairs of boots. "Don't tell
me. | said, in voice ohoked with emo
I tion--.Oh. 90 not tell me that you also
make boots for him. Say slippers--say
that you mend boot now and then for him !;
but do not tell me that you make EN-
regular for him
The man smilt, aud said didn't under
stand these things. He said perhaps had
not noticed in London that dealers in all
sorts of articles was by appointment. l
said, ooh, hadn't II" Then a sudden
thought flashed over me. 81 have it," |
said When the prince walks through a
street he no doubt looks at the shop win
dows:"
The man said, '.No doubt"
Aud the enterprisin' tradesman,' con-
timed. 'the moment the prince gets out OF
sight, rushes franfically aud has tin sign
painted, BY Appointment: Ii. II H.. 1t is
a beautiful, great idee."
thea bought q pair of shoe strings, and,
wringing the shopmans honest hand,
started for the tomb Of Shakespeare in a
hired fly. 1t looked, however, more like a
spider.
.And this said as stood in the old
churchyard at Stratford, beside tomb
stone, 'sthis marks the spot where lies
William W. Shakespeare. Alas! and this is
the spot where"
"You've got the wrong grave" said a
mana worthy villager. Shakespeare is
buried inside the church."
son | said, "a boy told me this was
it" The boy larfed and put the shilling
I'd given him into his left eye in an inglo-
rious manner, and commenced movin' back
wards towards the street.
| pursood and captured him, and after
talkin' to him spell in a sarcastic style,
let him went.
The old church was damp and chill. II
was rainin'. The only person there when
entered was a fac bluff old gentlemen,
who was talkin' in excited manner to q
fashnibly dressed young man. "No, Ern-
est Montresser," the old gentleman said,
g ii is idle to pursoo this subjeck no fur
You we're seen last Monday in Piccadilly
without umbreller said then, as say
now, any young man as venturs out in a
uncertain climit like this without umbrel-
Ter, lacks foresight, caution, strength Of
mind, and stability; and he is not the pro.
per person to thrust q daughters happi'
ness to.
| slapt the old gentleman on the shout
der, and | said. "You're right. You're
one Of those kind Of men, you are"
He wheeled suddenly round, and in an
indignant voice, said: $50 'way-go way
This is priyit interyoo"
| didn't stop to enrich the old gentle
man mind with my conversation. sor
of inferred that he wasn't inclined to lister
to me, and 50 | went on. But he was RICH
about the umbreller I'm really delighted
with this grand old country, Mr.. Punch
but you must admit that it does rain ray
Their nume1ously here. Whether this il
owing a monerkal form Of gov'ment or not
leave all candid and onprejudiced person!
to say.
William Shakespeare was born in STRAIT
ford in 1864. All the commentators, Shaks
perian scholars. etsetery, are agreed or
this, which is about the only thug they are
agreed on toward him, except that his man
tel hasn't fallen onto any poet or dramatis
hard enough to hurt said poet or dramatis
much And there is no doubt If these com
menlaters and persons continner inyestigat
ing shakspeare,s career, we shall not, in
due time, know anything about it at all
When a mere lad little William attended the
grammar school, because, as he said, tht
grammar school wouldn't attend him. This
49, .1s.y tnnn rr