The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-04-03
AFTER DARK IN IHF ABBEY.

1t was the 4th of December, 1873, at quar-
ter past four in the afternoon, when | strolled
into Westminster Abbey, | han no thought
in going there but to stroll. Just as | enter.
ed-inharmoniously, admit took ont Il
parse from my pocket and counted three or
four bank notes. / ought not to have done
this. Westminster Abbey Is not bank and
though good deal Is done in Westminster
Abbey which might be done more apprOpri.
ately elsewhere, and good deal is not done
which the nature Of the place might suggest
as religiously fit, still, counting bank notcs is
decidedly out of keeping with the original
idea Of church Ny only excuse was, that
as every one IN the building seemed to have
gone there for nOn.devoional purposes, 1t
could make no great difference il | assumed
for an axiom what others merely took for n
postuate. BE this As il may, just as ! was
counting my notes, through some suspicion
that had lost ono on the road, | observed II
most respectable old gentleman standing
within half Il dozen yards Of me and taking
keen cOgni2inCc of my money. But let this
fact pass The old gentleman passed And
with him there went from my memory all
recollection of his gaze.
1 then srollcd around the Abbey.
johannes Smith, armlgcr, SmithOrum Lin
colnienslum orlundus was an inscription
that engaged my attention 'LlnColnicnsIum'
was perhaps more distinctive than the some.
what promlscuous 'Smithorum' but neither
of the two could be said to invduali2c the
particular indemnity of Smith There was
play left for fancy AS to Smith, even with
The narrowing OF the country and | wonder
whether the ancient Roman family had orig.
4nally come over with Caesar.
As | pOndcrcd these matters, noticed, al
most touching me- gentleman aged perhaps
sixty. On a second glance ! satisfied my in
Quiry that II was the same gentleman who
Lad looked at my notes But this did not
mater The gentleman, whoever he may be
had right both To look at my notes and AT
other objects Of interest in the Abbey. But
at this particular moment he was not looking
at my notes. His cOuntenance was uplilleC
with view 10 the monuments, especially tt
the monument of Smith He had very white
halr He wore very gold spectacles. His
spcctaclcs were of thai dcmOnstrativc kline
which throws the rest of the toilet into the
shade. II IL the province of gold spectacle.
TO obscure every detail of even the best
dressed and most distinguished of men; ant
there are some gold spectacles in particular
which do lhla, such as those which the Shal
wore IN London. The gentlemen in the Alb
hey had this ass of spectaCles They beto
tokened mind accustomed To think and eve.
that even needed reposc Less an ornamen
than meant Tor real use, they suggested Ii
brary and tombs. They had, too, IA bulk tha
was costly. The gentleman himself locke,
costly. His spectacles and himself were on
psr-pre- emlnently financial and sound.
He wore a blue coat IL was bul,oncd III
10 the throat A white tie of immaculait
purity surmOunted the very blue coat. Panta
looms Of indisputable nea,ness perfected tn
downward proprieties and boots that dis
tanced competition ended the man. Result
Aristocraiic, balance at his bankers, fin
country seat, distinguished old family, Wit
a son perhaps in the army or navy. Thi
was the impression produced.
So felt when the gentleman, turning Il
ward nae. inquired, with g large-income
smile: You like art %
said that did, but that / was not alt
geiher proficient
This figure is remarkable, he kindly a,