The National tribune., 1883-06-21
THE SIGHTS O LONDON
Some Of the Famous Places That
American Boys Delight to Visit.
Special Correspondents National Tribune.

Special Correspondence National Tribune.
LONDON, May 20-Among the travellers who
come to London, perhaps there are none who
find more enjoyment than the American boys.
For well-read lad there is an inexhaustible
wealth and variety of interest and entertain
ing occupations. There are the conventional
"Sights" and concerning these he has def
mite preconceived ideas He wishes to see the
staircase in the Tower where the bones of the
smothered boy-princes were found, and the
monument In Westminster that Charles III
placed for them in the Innocents' corner; he is
interested in the Jerusalem chamber, more be-
cause they were hurried thence 70 the Tower,
than by reason of its rich associations with the
printing press and the bible. He picks out of
every collection of kings the portrait and
statue of Edward VI and wonders whether the
story of the Prince and the Pauper may not be
alittle bit true after all. He knows all about
Christ Hospital, its blue-coat boys and their
hatred of the yellow stockings and bare heads
that the charter eompels them to wear. He
longs for an Invitation to be present at their
exhibition of athletic sports, and gaZes with
deep interest at the bronze medallion in West
minister Palace, where the boy king, Edward
vi, Is giving the charter for this same blue
coat school. He reads with awe the inscrip-
tion on the boy kings monument at WestIain-
ster, placed there, Hare tells US, during the
reign of Lady Jane Grey, and he InarvelS that
a lad of twelve could be King of England,
France and ireland, Defender of the Faith and,
"under Christ of the Church of the Realm the
head supreme" The American boys republi-
can principles do not interfere with his pictur-
ing to his imagination with half enyious en-
thusiasm the feelings OF Edward vi when this
English lad sat, on his coronation day, where
every king since the first Edward has been
crowned, in rude, straight-ba backed chair, built
OF wood, upon sacred stone, while Archbishop
Cranner preached his coronation sermon. At
Madame Tussaud's the modern boy finds re-
| minder, in the figure of the little prince stand
ing very near the figure of Henry VIII, that
Edward vi Alone in all the world, deeply loved
the bad king. his father; and, with an ineon-
gruous loyalty, he scorns to believe that the
son OF Henry VIII and Jane Seymour might
| hagefailed to redeem the promise of his youth.
| The promise of glimpse of pOrtrait or ia
| yOrite haunt of the boy who reigned seven years
and died in his sixteenth year, is an unfailing
knows Mark Twain's admirable story, and
tides over weary seasons of conventional sight
| seeing.
| THE DERBY.
| The boy traveller counts the days until the
| Derby, and endures twelve hours of sitting in
a eramped position in such a crowd as the CEN
tennial hardly afforded, through dust and heat
| and glare and noise unparalleled, If only he
may be permitted TO make one Of party to
l u
| the returning multitude, amid the shrieks and
showers of dirty water that make part of the
| joy of the rabble. But, if ho speaks the truth
| next day, he may, perhaps, confess that the
game was hardly worth the candle since he
could not know so soon upon the grounds as ii
| was known in London who won the Derby.
| His instincts revolt good deal, too, from the
| drunkenness, the begging, the dirt and degrs-
dati0n that crowd and push about him through
the whole of Dirby Day, the more painful from
| their sharp contrast with the ostentatiouS
| wealth that mingles with them on this one day
| of the year.
Hyde Park is rich in entertainment for the
American boy; for, besides riding IN Rotten
| Row, rowing in the Serpentine, and watching
the collies bring home sticks from the middle
of the stream; besides Inspecting the Albert
| Memorial and wstchisg for the Royal Family
TO take its daily drive, there are the feur-in-
| hand club and the coaching meet. On the
last named occasion, it may happen to the boy
to be standing beside the Princess Royal igner-
ant of her presence by reason Of her quiet
equipage, until, at some slight movemens on
her part, the hats Of the multitude are raised,
and the boy, in his surprise, finds himself
cheering with the crowd. Under such circum-
| stances it has happened TO q boy of social pro-
pensities to fall into conversation with a lad
| of his own age, and, hearing with growing
reverence the British lads familiar references
TO persons of high-sounding rank, learn with
amusement, amazement and secret relief that
his companion was noblemans tiger
When the Prince and Princess OF Wales hold
the drawing room in the Queens stead, a
boy can dodge about without embarrassment,
| in and out of the crowd in St. James park, and
store up in his memory treasures of queer
cockney comment on the ladies who are COM
PEELED to undergo the scrutiny of the crowd in
passing from their carriages 10 the palace
door.
Boy choirs IN the London churches have
charm for American boys, diminished not Al
all by the sight of the choristers, after service
wearing odd square black Oxford caps, and
issuing in noisy play from the church doors
English boys in Eton suits are sources Of end.
less amusement, by reason OF their short
wasted jackets, long trousers, scrupulOusly
buttoned gloves aud tail hats The ilIustrs
tions TO Rolle," Frank, :" Harry and Lucy,
and the Parents Assistant" make this gart
familiar in America but the surprise of meet
ing real fesh-and- d-blood, rosy-cheeked boys ar
rsyed in it is none the less, and this supris.
may chance to become painful embarrassment
when good American kniekerboekers and scar
let stockings prove exceptional and conspic
uous.
BY COACH TO WINDSOR.
OF all the experiences that London affords Il
American boys none is so exhilarating as
drive ON top of the coach from the White Horss
Cellar in Paceadilly to Windsor, in spring
when the hawthorne hedges are coming int
bloom aud the birds are returning. At frs
there is the excitement Of threading the crowd
the guards horn hardly saficing TO warn be
wildered foot-passengers. Then follows quiel
drive through South KenSingtOn, with occa
sional difficulties caused by bewiIdered lad es
who pause uncertain, half scross the street, clos,
to the 0n-coming leaders, too terrified to move
Thereafter long stretches across country
through avenues of superb horse-chestnuts .
Busby Park; along the boundaries of Hampton
Court sort of old ladies' homo for decayeC
gentlewomen" of the Royal Family under the
shadow of Pope's villa, pagoda-like structure
on the banks of the Thames; past Garrick.
Temple and Twickenham Ferry, and in sight o
Magma Chsrta Island, where the Bsrons of Eng
land forced King John to sign their charter OF
stone table that stands on the same spot to thi
day-and all this through the prettiest country
III the world A dozen times the road crosses
the Thames, prettier each time than the last
Scores of times the guards horn warns instten
tive persons to beware and once the inattentiv,
person pays no heed, but forces the driver Il
check the speed of the four horses fresh from
recent change, and shout indignantly: " Pul