The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-12-27

Manchester, seventy miles distant, is to
obtain her water from this lake. Lon
don, 300 miles distant, is now contem.
plating the building of similar viaduct
to one OF these lakes. If undertaken IL
will be gigantic scheme and must cost
millions of dollars to complete the work.
Reaching the .op of long grade we can
now look down upon the little town of
Keswick, surrounded by mountains on
all sides. Our road lies like long,
tortuous serpent before us. The driver,
in his usual of.hand way, cracks his
whip and the four horses go galloping
down the road, around curves and over
gorges in the most reckless manner.
We draw a long sigh Of relief when we
reach the bottom. Our rooms engaged
and cup Of coffee and sandwiches
swallowed, we each stroll off rs inclna.
ton leads to some shady nook or pretty
dale. AS for myself my first objective
point was the old Druid Stones Of which
I had heard some days ago. Upon in
quiry ! learned they were about mile
to the east and could be easily found
without guide. accordingly started
out for the Ancient Temple of the Druid
priests. After travelling up an incline
for at least double the distance told me
finally saw notice to the effect that
"any one defacing these ancient stones
will be prosecuted to the full extent of
the law" and looking over the fence l
saw the object Of my search. The
Druids, you remember, were the priests
of the aboriginees OF England. The
early history of the Britons is enshrouded
in the mists Of tradition and legend.
Further back than the Roman conquest
all is mythology and uncertainty. Long
before Christ certain ancient writers
have made reference to the British
Isles, but not sufficiently definite to give
any reliable historical data. However,
with the Roman invasion in the first
authentic history begins. At
this time the inhabitants of England
were powerful-like race. Their COM
plexion was dark or dusky and they |
were divided into tribes. The govern.
nent, II any existed, was in the hands
Of the Druid priests. Their religion,
called Druidism, was a sort of worship |
,f nature-the oak and mistletoe being |
sacred objects. 1t was from this use OF |
he mistletoe that we now attach certain |
charms to this vine. The groves were
heir first temples, and their religion
must have been of the simplest nature.
L is wonderful fact that every nation,
however illiterate and primitive, have
within their nature an inclination to
Worship some object supposed to possess
ivine power. Here were the warlike
'ritons, who were but little more civil
zed than the American Indian, who
ave expression to their natural inclina-
ions to worship by becoming votaries
t the shrine of Natures altar. The re.
Mains of the Druids are very few and
re the oldest relics in England, and
must have dated back even before the
era. Their temples were in.
eed most simple and the groves formed
he principal shelter. However, at diff.
erent places are found what writer's
ave pleased to call the Druid Temples,
nd the one here is probably the best
xample of the ancient shrines of exist.
nee.
1t is indeed simple enough, but is
robably all Of the original temple, il
uch it may be called. The location is
n the top OF natural mound surround
d by mountains. At present the
nound is simply grassy pasture. The
emple is merely a circle of forty.six
uge stones. They are planted in the
round at intervals OF ten or twelve
eet apart and inclose circular space.
he structure could afford no protection
Tor shelter and, the stones were used
merely to mark the boundary of the
acred precincts. At the east side a
mall quadrilateral space is formed by
en- stones which roughly indicates an
Iltar, and may have been where the
luman sacrifices were offered. The
tones are huge, oblong boulders set on
nd, and are just as nature made them,
laving never been touched by the ak
f the stone cutter. If you would OBJ
ain an excellent idea of this old Druid
'emple go out in some pasture.field
round Hillsboro, select knoll on which
18th forty-six immense stones indicate a
ircle having diameter OF about thirty
ards, and you have very clever
sc simile Of the temple. The stones, how
YER, must be of about six to eight tons
eight. There is q tradition told to the
feet that this temple was witness to
,e last human sacrifice which is sub. +;
as follows: ii
According to that old story when q