The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-01-14
LONrON'S ODD CORNERS.
HELEN CAMPBELL IN THE WORLDS
METROPOLIS.
She Tells OF Her Search for Something
That Has Not Before Been Written Up
The immensely of Notwithstanding
of Curious Old Remington Common.

The immensely of Notwithstanding
of Curious Old Remington Common.
Especial Correspondence
LONDON, Dec 2S-"Wrte about some
thing that has never been written about be-
fore" were the final words of the genial edi-
tor whose eyes will search this record with
Jealous inquiry as to how far his injunction
has been obeyed That the recommendation
carries patent impoSsibility in its train will
make no difference, nor the fact OF the piiing
of centuries since the wisest and saddest OF
mankind wrote, "Of making Of many books
there is no end, ~ but placed on record, before
and after as IL in mockery of book makers
through all time, There is nothing new I'M
der the SUM-"
The modern editor believes with Napoleon
the Great, however, that there is no such
word as impossible, and that there is always
nm undiscovered inch or two to reward the
patient seeker; and in one sense he is right,
for no two pairs Of eyes have ever seen the
same sight at either the same visual or
mental angle, and history, for this reason, Is
as susceptible Of variation today as it has
been since time began and will be till time
ends.
My business, however, is not with history
or its variations, save indirectly and in such
degree as both are bound up in every foot OF
this old world in which the same human pas
sions are almost the sole thing in common
with the new Yet the American who wakes
for the first time on English soil, has
curious sense that this is the actual home and
all that background from which he has
emerged, an accident, but not the real living,
nor TO be quite real till full knowledge OF
this first possession has become part OF 1t.
It is certain, too, that the American knows
the treasures of the past, very far beyond the
Iondoner of today, who, unless made OF ex-
ceptonal stuff regards deep interest in any
thing as very bad form, and gazes with
superclious inquiry at the eager tourist.
And as tourists are of many orders, and
portion at least elect to agree with their
critic and regard London simply as spot in
which living during the season may be pos
sible, but not one moment beyond the end OF
that mysterious and intangible boundary
line, it follows that for many the real Lon
don remains unknown, its treasures OF art
and association, and all that makes our COM
mon inheritance, a sealed book.
This division may be left quite out OF the
question, their mission being chiefly to be-
little the word American, and to give an
added ground to the conviction held by
large proportion Of English people, that
American and snob are inevitable synonyms.
The fabulous expenditure OF money, the as
surance, the push, the utter obtuseness OF
many, has craven the impression in lines
too deep for any present eff."ament, and it
is only the knowledge that below this sur
face, the essential elements of each country
are mingling more and more, and that
unison of thought and feeling on vital
points is more and more actual that pre-
vents utter Encouragement at some OF the
outward aspects.
It is not, then, the chance tourist who is
likely to know London, or any of its corners,
odd or otherwise. Its immensely alone,
prevents anything but bird'seye view to
the tarrer of day or a week, and 1t is only
when one has settled down quietly to daily
life and suddenly realizes how much has
been taken in by unconscious absorption,
that real understanding begins, and one be-
comes fitted to search for the odd corners.
These are not necessarily what have found
summary in guide books or been chronicled
even as individual discoveries by adven-
furious tourists. They may be hidden deep
in the network of lanes and alleys and
courts that make up the city proper, in its
old sense, or may face the seekers at the
very next turn in region where nothing
was expected, and prove sources of unending
pleasure and satisfaction.
Under this last head comes the corner from
which the present letter is sent OUT and from
which daily excursions are made, long OF
short rs the case may be, but all fruitful OF
results, picturesque and otherwise. Chiefly
otherwise, save here and there, for the Surrey
side OF the river is given over to many indus
tries, in which small room can be found for
that word, or any other, holding hint of much
satisfaction to the eye The most pleasing
feature of life on the Surrey side is the fact
that one or the other Of London's beautiful
bridges must be crossed to reach it. 1t may
be London bridge on which the feet instinct
lively move to the old tune,
London bridge Is broken down;
Dance over, my Lady Lee
or Waterloo, the Bridge of Sighs," from
which how many hundreds, weary o.
breath, rashly importunate," have gone t;
their death; or Blackfriars', with the mos
perfect view known to the city Of st. Paul's
and its soaring DOME rising high and calm
above the tumult and fret of the busy throne
below; or Westminster, fairest of all, OIL
which Wordsworth stood in the early morn
ing, and as he gazed, fell out line by line thu
perfect sonnet, known to all:
Earth has not anything to show more fair.
''The river glideth at his own sweet will,
as gently now as on that morning il thu
second year of the century, but there is littl'
else to assure us that the scene is the same
The smokeless air "long ago gave way Il
that pail which hangs over London, obscure
vision, clings to every sculptured point o.
tower or pinnacle, and is the medium il
which one must live and move and have hi
being in all days that London life is lived
There are battles royal between vapors anC
sun, and the masses above the abbey tower
and the beautiful houses OF parliament TAX
on strange shapes and hues, as that mucl
perplexed and baffied luminary struggle
through its sunset, and fer few moment
asserts his right to rule. But he has shor
space. Crimson and gold give way to gra..
and black, and gray and black are the Lon
don colors, and make up chiefly what tn
Londoner is pleased to call sky"
II is becoIsa larger possibility of NOR