Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-12-04
AN ADVENTURE IN ST. PAUL'S.

AN ADVENTURE IN ST. PAUL'S'
WE colonials, on the whole, l think,
have more appreciation of st. Paul's than
of any other of the London sights. More
than of Westminster Abbey, even. For
it wants deal of history to understand
the Abbey and its puzzling chapels; and
after a certain amount of stock driving
one jumbles up the kings and queens,
Coming over from Australia for six
months visit to England, one of the first
things promised myself on landing was
to see st. Paul's; and yet it's a singular
fact that up to the very end of my sojourn
here had never been inside your Tor may
/ say our y great cathedral.
| felt it impossible to go back and face
my relations and friends if couldn't say
I'd seen ST. Paul's, and l made half a
dozen plans at various times of paying 1T
visit. But first one thing interviewed
and then another till my last day in En-
gland had come, my pilgrimage upper
formed. This last day, however, l kept
clear of engagements on purpose to see
the place. Before [ was out of bed in the
morning had telegram of importance,
which took me off post haste to the east
ern counties; and it was eight O'Clock in
the evening before | reached Shoreditch
station on my return journey. Now, l
was bound to start early next morning to
reach Brindisi in time for the Italian
mail, and it thus seemed as if it were my
fate to miss my last chance of entering
st. Paul's. Still, was determined not to
throw away a chance; it might be that
the cathedral was still open; and picked
To- ;no
hansoms, and babe the driver put me
down in the shortest possible time at the
corner Of st. Paul's churchyard.
As descended from the cab and stood
on the edge of the pavement looking up
at the giant bulk of the dome, the clock
struck nine. The sun had set; but high
overhead the golden ball and cross stood
out against the sky, still Furnished by
the evening glow. All the lower part OF
the building was in deep shadow, rem.
dered still darker by the thick coating OF
SCOT that encased it; but the upper por
ton, towering clear of houses and chin
neys, and swept and sweetened by the
winds and rains, caught CLEAN OF
brightness from the clouds above, and
raised itself white and fair into the even
ing sky.
The traffic of the day had slackened
there were few pedestrians, and only ar
occasional cab ratified by. The big ware
houses had retired from business; the
shops were shut; the city seemed to sleep
Pauls also was closely fastened up. L
misgave me that all / should see of i
would be the outside.
Bending back my neck and gazing up
wards at the huge dome, | saw that abou
the great golden cross and ball was 8
tracery as Of cobwebs, and men like flies
were crawling about those slender fila
ments. Stout scaffoldings and thick ca
bles they were, no doubt; but from The
street they looked like the delicate fabric
OF the gossamer.
walked quickly around the church
hoping to find some doorway open, some
access to the interior. The iron gates
were all closed, the doors were fast. Paul.
portals looked as inaccessible and forbid
ding as the rocky flank of mountain.
was determined to find my way in, II pos
sible, but knew not how to set about i
Could have come across anything tina
looked like a deanery or sarcedotal resi-
dence, | should have made bold to knocl
thereat and ask the occupiers for the key
But / could find nothing of the sort
Even at bun-shop, which was still open
where inquired as to the way of getting
into the church, the people knew no mor'
about st. Paul's than ifithad been thou
sand miles distant.
l began to feel respondent about thu
matter, but went around the church onc'
more till came to the end of the soutl
transept-the shorter limb OF the cross
and looked vacantly DIP at the fine semi
circular portico, with its tall columns ant
flight Of steps. All this time neve
thought of there being anybody living in
side st. Paul's; l should as soon hav'
expected to meet with furnished apart
ments in the catacombs, or family resi-
dence in the pyramids. But peering eau
tiously about espied in the angle formet
by the nave and transept on the western
side, window from which came the fain
CLEAN of candle stood and looket
between the ratings and saw that some
body was moving within. There was
bIrd-cage in the window; on the sill out
side some red fower-pots. Present.,
somebody came to desk near the win
dow and began TO write; an old man witt
white hair.
If could only make him see me, pei
haps he would take compassion on m
and let me in. But it wasn't likely tina
he would see me. Looking from tn
lighted window into the twilight outsid
1t was hardly possible that he should sc
anything. / thought of fiinging pcbbl
at the window; but 1t was good distanc
OFT; might break the glass and be takel
into custody. / gave few shrill whis
ties, holding my fingers in my mouth;
even vsntured on modified version Of a
Australian ''cooee," but it was all of n
use. The old man didn't turn his head.
Once again / had almost given the thin
up and gone home but just then the ligh
disappeared from the window and all wa
darkness. Was the old man off to bed,