The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-08-28

Much HOole Church Described by one VINO
Has Scent 1t.
Facts About the Discoverer of the Transit
of Venus.
Notes of n Pleasure Tour Made Many Years
Ago.
Noticing the presence Of distinguished
European astronomers at San Antonio for the
purpose of making official scientific observa-
lions on the transit of Venus, which will occur
on the sixth of December, it reminded me OF
some notes kept during three years resi-
dence in the north of England Many were
the exhiliarating strolls had many the boyish
"reminiscences encountered-and many the
feelings of disgust endured in that uncouth
part Of the country during that time.
Early one morning in Jaly we started from
Preston to Ruttord, a distance OF hfteen
miles. There were five of the party, besides
myself, and strange to say, they are all living
in Texas. One is IN business near San An
tonic; another is voluntarily helping Mrs.
Banks t" garner his corn; another is house
keeper on the Medina; another is in the water
melon business, and the time of another is de-
voted to the companionship of two donkeys
ind corn-cob pipe. The beauty and variety
If those dear old English lanes cannot be
imagined by the native American. This
morning the hedges and copses appeared
beautiful. Nature seemed complete. Wild
flowers bloomed in proiusion. The air was
redoent of Flora. The speckled thrush sang
out its lays amid the adjoining bushes. The
linnet twlttered and hoped from branch to
branch. The swift-winged swallow skinned
,long the avenue sides merrily. The stately
black bird paraded the grass busily and silent
iy. Now and then a hare or rabbit would
dart through the underwood. The brown
partridge and the richly-hued pheasants were
occasionally seen. The scene was sweet and
lovely. The sun shines sometimes in Eng
and, and it shone to-day, and everything was
favorable for peripatetics. Penwortham
bridge and hill are passed.; then Howick. We
ire in the country now. Farmstead dogs were
lozing quietly at the sides ofhaystacks, opening
one eye suspiciously as we passed. Tortoise
she'll cats were sleeping amid flower pots at
the bottoms of stray matched cottage win
lows. Horses and cows looked over the
hedges every now and then, wondering what
we were there for. The mellow sound of dis
tand bells hoated on the air, and, half asleep,
we passed Hutton school, where the most
miserable days of my life were spent. Then
came Longton. This place, in 1910, was one
Of the hot-beds of Mormonism. Brigham
Young once preached in Longton. The looms
there contributed upwards of $500 towards
setting running the first printing press Of the
Mormons. Scores Of the inhabitants emil
grated to Salt Lake. The rustics here are
rum lot. Said a man to a friend of mine:
They are the queerest lot alive; nearly every
one of them wears clogs, and you may tell
them in a minute when they leave home, for
they stare about at everything like nick'd uns,
and cape like young throstles." Longton,
however, is one Of the incest villages in the
country. Lots of small cottages, with little
gardens attached, the bulk Of them having
flowers growing about The better class OF
houses have very cosy appearance, and are
partially enshrouded by trees, and have roses
and honey suckles creeping up their walls.
We resisted the charms Of the "Rams
Head" the Farmers Arms" the "Red
Lion" the BLACK Bull" and the "Longton
Arms" We found it absolutely essential,
however, to stop at that goodly old host' Try,
called the Golden Ball. This public house
was an important one in the rare, blithesome,
old coaching days, and it was in a blooming
condition yet. Bob Wilkins was the landlord.
He had been an old school-fellow thirty years
ago. Hewas evidently prospecting. We put
Bob out Of his agony with accepting and met
aphorizing sundry glls of his home-brewed.
We ate dinner, and after varied misfortunes,
arrived at Much Hoole church. The district
round about is fat, devoid of natural scenery,
but has cheerful aspect on account of its ru-
raj arrangements and associations. The name
of Hoole church is imperishable in con-
nection with the name of Jeremiah
HORROR, former curate Of the church. An
astronomer, Sir John Hersch-ll, called him
''the pride and boast of British astronomy"
Horrox could have had little sympathy with
his Pensioners in scientific point OF view.
If he had shown them new way Of planting
potatoes, or boiling bacon, or making hens lay
all winter, or drinking oceans of strong ale
without producing those inevitable headaches,
they would have infinitely revered his name
more. Horrox was curate Of this church
when, comparatively speaking, a mere youth,
for he died in earliest manhood. He made
the first calculaion pertaining to the transit of
Venus over the sun, gave the world the closest
reckoning as to the suns parallax, and entered
into some Of the finest lunar speculations. He
lived in an exalted atmosphere: had brain
of the highest and most luminous type, reach
ing far away. by its power, into regions dim
and mpalpable to commoner intellects, yet
exquisite to cultivated minds, giving crown
ing lus,re to his name and lasting strength
10 his reputation.
The church has quiet exterior. The body
of it is painted 1t is bricky- chocolate
color Its roof is covered with strong gray
states. Its tower constitutes its chief outside
curiosity. There is grotesque spout of the
.'edinct animalP' epoch on the eastern side.
On the northern side there is a small clock
dial, bearing at its base this inscription, which
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