The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-11-06


son, and then past park where herds Of
spotted deer huddled under the big trees;
we crossed by stone foot bridge over the
limpid Cherwell and found ourselves in the
long avenue called Addison's Walk. Pre-
sently we came to the old bench on which
he used to sit TO do his writing. Now and
then winding gently, aAddison's Walk,
all bound at the edges by tangle of CLOS
sy leaved myrtle, all shady and cool under
the sweet, deep green branches of the elms
that have knitted together overhead, wand
ers on and on across the meadows. Away
from the shallow Cherwell and spotted
deer, from the moss covered stone foot
bridges, from the old mill dipping the
brown lips of its lazy wheel to drink in the
lazy stream; away, as far as we could see,
until it became one tangle of delicious
green, misty, here shining greenish silver
in the sun, here cool and dark and dewy in
the shadow, until the broad, brown walk,
bound with tendrils of myrtle, became only
tiny ribbon fading away out of sight
n the tangle of branch and vine and
bramble.
| asked about the colleges for ladies that
have been founded at Oxford by the Asso-
citation for Promoting the Higher Educa-
ton of Women. They are only called
colleges by sometimes courtesy. The name
of one is Somerville Hall, of the other Lady
Margaret Hall, and these are situated in
ordinary dwelling houses. The course of
studies is the same as that pursued at the
real colleges, and the expenses are about
$500 year for each pupil.
Oxford was unlike the Oxford of my
imagination In reality handsome,
stylish looking little city, full of retail
shops, ever SO many pastry cook shops, and
with the fine broad streets with their large
brick houses three and four stories high,
crossed by quaint, crooked little streets
lined with crooked little houses presenting
crooked little gables to the street and
dozens of little mullioned windows. And
then every where are the colleges, old
churches, and buildings devoted to some
purpose or other connected with the col
lege pursuits. And there are many narrow
alleyways running under gloomy gates,
heading off right, left, east, west, from the
main streets, and you have but to follow
these to come upon unexpected old build
ings, the ponderous ways into mo re col
leges, the majestic entrance to fine
churches.
In one of the beautiful old churches
St. Mary the Virgin, the University church
in High street-we came across the grave
of "Amy Robsart, wife of Lord Robert
Dudley, 1860" She lies by the reading
desk in the chancel, and we only discover
ed it by turning up a foot mat in our
search for old brasses.
There are no trees in the stony streets,
but every few moments, go in what direc-
ton you will, from over the gray and moss
bearded walls you see the deep waving
branches of elms and chestnuts and oaks,
and then you are sure to find an alley way
or tunnel like entrance which you will
speed through to find yourself in some
sunny and grassy court, shut in by its col
lege, silent and quiet, with only sparrows
hopping along the deserted cloisters, with
no sign of gowned professors nor busy
students-only the sparrows in these classic
shades, and who shall say that they, like
the maids and men at their feast in Mag
dalen refectory, are not glad that it is "out
of term at Oxford?