The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-09-30

THURSDAY. SEPT. 80. 1886.
A TW0-STORlED STREET.

streets in Chester are so narrow
that the houses almost touch as they
bend over. This is because each
upper story projects little more
than the story just underneath. The
second story of one of these ancient
houses projects Il little farther over
the sidewalk, and the floor of the
third story projects little farther
still--a huge inverted stairway, as
it were. In the center of the gable
will be a large window, cut up into
the tiniest panes of glass by leaden
frames, and while the entire window
opens outward on hinge, the
middle of it is subdivided into
another window that opens on an
other hinge, and may be hooked
open pretty much as one sets a
door ajar. We left the tram at the
gateway, as the arched opening in
the wall is called, and 1 beg you to
bear in mind that it is only through
one of these four gateways that one
may enter the town of Chester. The
crowded gables of the ancient houses
seemed to meet over head at the
end of the street, where the square
shoulder of an ancient church showed
itself into the way at "the Cross
the meeting of four streets, and
where an unusually forward house
shut off all the views beyond.
So far as know, Chester has the
only distorted street in the world
that is, Il street, or rather streets
provided on each side with double
rows of shops. You may walk
along on the narrow pavement level
with the ground and inspect the
curious oldworld shops-the silk
MERGERS and haberdashers, the neat
room where "sweets" are sold, the
toy places, bakers shops and all
the varieties of trade. As you pass
by these you see every few yards q
queer little heel-tripping flight Of
worn stone steps leading upstairs.
You look overhead and see a cell
ing. 1t is the floor of the second
story of the long rows of houses
projecting over the sidewalk almost
far enough to shield you from the
rain should any fall. You go back
to the gateway and find flight OF
these worn stone steps. 1t leads
you up to the second floor. You
find yourself in, or, as we should
say, ON a stone-foored or paved
gallery that has a low, plastered
roof, supported by quaintly-carved
wooden beams and columns and
timbers, so low that in some places
you may touch the ceiling, which is
the floor of the third story, with your
hand. You walk along on worn,
sunlen pavement of stone. 1t re-
sembles the cloister of cathedral.
At your left, on the inside as it
were, are the rows of glittering, gay
shop windows, with open door-ways,
where hang the fine goods and all
manner of beautiful and useful
wares, just as we see in our own
stores at home. These are the vene.
rable Crows that are part of the
fame and glory of Chester. On the
outer side of the rows are more
shops, SET out like gay little booths
at a country fair, or if there is moi
an outside shop the space-somt
twenty feet wide-takes an upwarG
slant, with railing, over which We
may look down into the narrow
street below, and in this space
called stall, the tradesmen of the
opposite shops on the inner wal
display their goods.
There are four streets in Chester
the main thoroughfares, that have
these rows, and it is an endles;
delight to walk along them, now
running down the steps to have 6
look at the towering house in which
you have really been promenading
now going in to buy penny's wortl
of sweets, that is, stick of choco
late cream or taffy; now stopping
yourself at "Bolland's" to lool
longingly on those famous frui
cakes that are sent all over TIN
world. The Queen gets her frui
cake from Bolland's. They ar
sold like old wine, the year of vim
tage, as it were, being marked Oh
each one, and l2-year old frui
cake or plum pudding from Bol
lands is considered a presen
equally welcome to lovely bit O
Doulton or Sevres ware.- Chester