The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-02-15
Tho EnGlish Bohe inian Haven,

|
Of genius is sort Of tap-room, located /
Il cellar under corner Of the Ta7lstoc
Hotel, aud directly opposite the Conven
Garden Market. Little known to the AN
erlcan tourist, aud more seldom VISITED b
him, there are few, we take 1t, among tn
reading community of London to whom it
history ls not moro or less familiar
Evans, 1t ls styled, and it stands IN tn
very midst of numberless scenes we
known to most of us through the medium
OF old rs we'll as more recent Britls
authors.
For the past century and half
what we are told be truc-the choices
spirits of the English literary and theatrl
Cal world have been wont, at night, t
congregate in this refectory then an
fhnrn "a abandon thn,meolvoS to yvhatovo
recreation appcrtaips to such an assem-
blage,
The original Evans, OF course, went tt
his last home long years ago, but succeed
ing tapsters have occupied his shoes II
such uninterrupted succession that each
has taken tho thread Of history where his
predecessor dropped 1t, and 30 preserved
unDroken the story of the place.
| The present depository of its annals is O
rublclnd Old fellow, who possesses All ap
proprIately colored nose, but who lacks
somewhat that complete rotundlty OF per.
son which one desires TO SEQ in the host OF
very ancient tap. Though dignltled and
little prone to the garrulity which might
be expected from his occupation and sur.
roundings. he still is quite ready to rccite
his story, whenever he feels that he has an
auditor upon whom his breath will not be
wasted. 10 the worthy listener, then, he
Will point out table after table, at which
| nave sat various celebrities who frequented
Evans's "betore You was born, SIR" and
Will narrate such incidents o: their carecrs
as arc tue special property Of that institu-
ton.
this great boast Is of the pictures
that acorn the walls, among which are the
PORTRAITS of Sheridan, Slddons KcmbIc,
ana htty others who within the recollec.
tion of Evans, have reused audiences, of
| even stirred the nation.
Quaint and cracked as mauy of these
portraits arc, they are much better than
the ordinary run of ''hkcnesses," and not
a few OF them are noticeable for pcnu,ne
artistic merit. In our memory to sec Peg
Wellington now, just as the artist depicted
her; 1.-THE fair creature more girl than
woman; slmpliclty's self, and vet about
whom there ia that something or otller,
we know not how to call 1t, which Charles
Keade brings out 80 C!everly IN his novel
bearing her name. Among The collection
is picture of Edwin Norrest; and we
will never forget the poMpous flourish
with which the host pointed to 1t as q
proof of Englands appreciation of genius,
no matter what ite nationality. a portrait
III the gallery of which he has the ward.
/" L." or.-.e--, - -i-.- - --~lr .----a l.
ors in Wcsi Minister Abbey.
But midnight has come. The theatres
are over and the crowd Is collecting, 80
to be regular and to do as others do, lot us
choose table end order chops and potatoes
and beer.
BY this time, no doubt, the room ls filed
with notabilitles, and it would be our
greatest pleasure to tell the reader lust
how they look, and all about them; but
as we ourselves haven't tho slightest idea
as to who is who, we will presume each
individual to be marvel in his own par
tlcular way, and turn our attention to the
rejection that we see is coming.
And isn't this toothsome dlsh2 Chops
as delicate as tile daintiest palate could
wish for, and potatoes such as are to be
gotten only where potatoes are speciality.
How white Inc lutier open, and how
beautifully they crumble as tho waiter
presses them from their jackets.
Now, everything ls ready. 80. with
the best of appctitcs and an imagination
so strengthened by the situation as to be
able to summon whomsoevcr It will. VIC
proceed to sup amid company selected
from list extending back for ages.
Fancy occupying table where, hun
drcd and fifty years ago, Colly Clbbor
| may have discussed chops and potatoes
with boon companions; or from which, in
their respective periods, Garrick or Will
son or dear old Ihackeray were used to
contribute to the fun and hilarity of this
place.
Does any one who has read "Penden-
! mis-" forget the "Back Kitchen ?" What q
jolly den it wasl How every rolllcklng
disposition gravitated to it naturally Was
eyer description more graphic than the
novelist has written of that resort When
Thackeray penned 1t he unquestionably
had in his mind some place that had fig-
urcd in his own experience and we can
hardly visit Evans's without fcellrg that
Fokcr, or Shandon, or miserable old
drunken Costigan must be somewhere
about, or that little Bows may still be
| found operating at the piano.
HpVOboS pOl tue TURN our tnOuRnt mas
taken, how wild fancy runs when once
flee rein ls given 1t Whilst we've been
sitting here 1t has peoplcd this old room
with beings whose talk and laughter
ceased generations since, the walls mean
while rovcrberating the din and clamor of
living throng. And furthermore, not
only has it rehabllitated tho dead, it has
brought hither the shadowy creatures of
Imagination and invested them also with
substantially. ,,
Wcll. the chops and potatocSare gone,
the tankard Is empty, and the crowd Is de-
parting. Perforce, then, wo must wend
our way.
Having lighted q cigar we sally forth,
and as VIC homcward stroll this thought
| su ygests itself, that as we have sat and
mused Of mcn who now live only In tho
story of their achievements, so~whcn the
Present shall have retreatcd 10 its position
in the Past the coming wight will occupy
the seat ~e have just vacated, and therein
will mediate upon souls as yot unknown
but striving, and whose names the Future
will find upon the record of tho great.
In spite OF statistics showing that
there were 1,G45 moro failures In the
United States and Canada durlng 1882
than during 1881, the country Is not