Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-03-04


cluded It would never do to have Shake.
speare's birthplace leave England or
Stra,ford. .on.Avon. Barnum felt sore
over the matter, for he knew there was
money and fame in the transaction.
PcrhaHs his soreness has kept him from
tcllinSthc public how he rescued one OF
the most interesting spots in the world
from utter ruin. Had il been bought
by an ordinary citizen he would have
converted il into modern dwelling
place and taken away oven the SEM
blance Of It's original appearance and
historical halo.
The men who purchased the prop.
erty formed u stock company and ap.
pointed trustees to take charge of the
house. Money was subscribed in order
that Shakespearcan rrlics Of all kinds
might be- purchased and put on eShibi-
ton in the house. The two estimablc
maiden ladies who still have personal
charge were appointed. They were
quite young in 1850, but to-day they
are quite antiqua,cd. and, therefore. in
keeping with their surroundings. Every.
thing was put in place about the house
and arranged as nearly as possible asst
was when Shakespeare was boy.
Shakespeare father used Il part Of the
house for tavern, and that part was
turned into museum. Slakespearcan
relics OF all sorts were procured, and
the collection has been increased from
time to time until il is now exceedingly
valuable. The very air of the house is
Slakcspearcan. The old ladies arc
walking encyclopedias Of Shakcspear-
can lore. They are ready to refutc all
scandals connected with dear Williams
name, and to narrate marvellous and
hitherto unpublished tales Of his great
ness. They are particularly emphatic
in denying the stories OF the great
bard's bibulous tendencies, and declare
that he never lay under an apple tree
for twcnty-four hours in drunken
s,upor.
The bedroom in which Shakespeare
was born and even the bed where the
event took place are pointed out. The
desk he used at the quaint old school IL
shown, and the evidences of a busy
jack.knifc are gloriiied. His signct-
ring that he wore on his thumb Is
shown, with the initials on it, ltwould
do for watch.chain in these days, UNI
less some man with gigantic hands,
like John l.. Sullivan, chose 10 wear II
on his forcllngcr So careful are the
trustees of the house lest it be destroyed
that no lights are allowed around the
house at any time. The heat in winter
is furnished by means of steam radi-
ators connecting with a boiler in an al.
iaccnt house. The old ladies' must r..
tire in the dark. or else 80 to sleep be-
fore sun,lown. This reverence for the
bard pcrvadcs the whole of Stratford.
You scc Shakespeare everywhere.
There is Shakespeare in the shoe
making line, Shakespeare stable, \
Shakespeare hotel and doubtless the
ubiquitous plumber attaches the great
name to- hi, trade.
The hotel, by the way, has apcculia;
interest for Americans. In il Washing.
ton Irving resided for months while he
was writing up the poets home. The
parlor j. called Irving's room. and the
bcd.chambcr he occupied contains his
picture and autograph. The ruins oil
the house where Shakespeare died are
pointed out, and the Stratford
citizen even yet bushes with indigna-
ton rs be tells how clergyman who
bought the house tore II down, along
with the tree under which the bard
mcdita,cd, because the clergyman got
tired of the people that came to visit
the spot. The citizens made ii so warm
for the minister that lc left soon after
N. Y Star.