The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-12-18

Lle great amount VI dSpndulb
London incOmparably the best paved
city we have ever seen. This is also the
cause of the great stiffness of London,
there is not so much noise there as in
Troy, and the asphalt is put on such
streets as High Holborn, Oxford and
Cheapside, which have by far the heaviest
traffic of any thoroughfaros in the world,
and it wears beautifully; seventeen years
it stood the strain in Cheapside, and then
only required to be resurfaced one inch.
never saw horse slip on it, but many
fell on the stone and wood, the latter was
the most treacherous of all, it never
sesmed TO dry, while the asphalt would
be perfectly dry in an hour after after a
heavy rain. There are numerous small
grassy squares scattered about London
which are as quiet as if 100 miles in the
country. London is dirty, grimy with
smoke and far from handsome, but it is
a wonderfully fascinating city, we
liked it far better than Paris.
contrary to our expectations, and
there is no part of Europe | am so anx-
ious to see again as London. To see the
city best, numerous rides on the tops OF
the innumerable lines of omnibuses
should be taken, especially If you can
get on the seat beside clever driver,
and most of the drivers and conductors
are as solicitous for your comfort and
happiness, as if they were particular
friends. The conductors will go out of
their way to see that you reach the place
you desire to find. The London police
are by far the finest body of men have
ever seen anywhere, nearly all young, tine
looking and extremely polite, all they
carry is light cane, but it is interesting
to see one stand in crowded street and
hold up his hand, everything stops as II
by magic. If any of the omnibus men
talk back, or any of the drivers are un-
ruly the police never say word, simply
take out their little books and enter the
mans number, who will presently be
summoned to come into court and ,ex-
plain to the magistrate. The National
Gallery is great grey stone building
having heavy pillarcd portico, and oc-
cupying a commanding position over
looking Trafalgar Square, just behind the
great Nelson monument. 1t is fine
collection of paintings, that of each ma
ton in room by itself, making it espe-
cially easy to study the styles of the va
rious schools.
The British rooms are full of splendid |
examples of the work of their famous
painters, including a fine collection |
| BY Landseer, and room full of Turner's. |
which Ruskin may admire, but l found |
it hard work. thought of the famous
description of one of Turner'S pictures
Mark Twain gives i'll the Tramp
Abroad"
Trafalgar Square was not as large as
Expected, judging from the crowds that
have attended meetings held there, but
it is good-sized space, paved with stone
blocks; at one corner is Chairiug Cross,
one OF the famous centres of London.
Out from here to the westward runs Re
gent Street, and curves arOnnd the circus
and finally crosses Oxford Street at right
angles. These two are the great shop
ping streets of London, lined with splen-
did stores, far handsOmeT than most of
those in Paris, and the prices OF nearly
all goods are lower, for Paris has lost
any pretensions it may have had to be-
ing a good place to shop. In fact outside
very few articles, mostly novelties, one
can shop as well if not better in New
York City than anywhere in Europe,
taking into account style, price, quality
and treatment, as we found by compar-
ing prices everywhere.
, The British Museum is a very large
grey building of stone, the front orna-
, mented by row of great pillars, and
standing a little distance back from the
street, along which is heavy iron fence,
, The interior is packed full with autiqui
ties and curiosities from all over the
world a bewildering collection; we were
, most interested in the famous "Elgin
, Marbles and the Rosetta Stone"
which gave the clue to those who had so
4 long tried to read the cuneifOrm inscrip-
/ tions. An immense building has been
filled with the natural history collection
/ taken from here to new building re-
fnl 20 hn
! sing Museum, another wonderful
collection, running more to casts,
+, curios, and beautiful specimens of the
: handiwork of all nationalitics.
One of the casts Ito give an idea of the
| collection) is of the column of Trajan in
0 Rome, and is made in two pieces, as this
4 pillar is more than 100 feet high, there
( are hundreds more, many very large. 1t
- almost makes ones head swim to try to
4 take in such collections as either of
i these.
4 The British Museum has very large
g library kept in a room surmOunted by
v an enormous dome, one of the largest in
e the world, the building is located very
s near the centre of the city.
Il The "Tower of London" is on the
n bank of the Thames well over in the
# East part of the city, and is an immense
k stone structure. surrounded by moat
n so wide that it is used for a parade
h ground and for cricket, and deep enough
II to float ship if filled with water, which
ii can be done at a moments notice.
# We passed the outer gate, through a
@ narrow court, and when opposite the
d water gate leading to the river, known
1t as the TRAITORS gate, we turned to
the left and went through low gateway
or in a heavy tower, coming into the inner
= court. The "Traitors' gate recalled
=, ~ the noted men who had passed through
e it to cruel deaths, especially Raleigh ano
~ Sir William Wallace the Scotch hero
Z, while in the great tower under which We
81 passed, the two unfortunate little
, princes were murdered. A winding
~ narrow stairway led to the room in thii
(: tower where the crown jewels are KEEP
u in glass case surrounded by heavy
70 iron grating, one of the old soldiers II
" the queer ancient Tower uniform being
~ always on guard there. For any beauty
Il the great diamonds, sapph:res and emer
q. aids, added to the various crowns anC
~ sceptres, pieces of cOloTed glass of thu
,s same size would have done as well, il
rs fact no one could tell the difference i
,e glass Jewels were substituted for th'
M real ones, at the distance those who view
n them are compelled to keep.
NJ A large square tower stands at on
4 side of the great interior court, and IL
n this most of the notable prisoners hav'
No been confined and many of them hav'
nc left carvings on the wall as memorials
,e Near this tower is the spot where some o
or the queens of Henry VIII, Sir William
10 Wallace and many Others were executed
Ie The place had a most depressing effec
,o tina smoke begrimed walls were 81
al gloomy. The "Bank of England o.
~ HBinkh as all Londoners call it, is lonl
h low building with no pretensions b
Ne architecture whatever, standing on tn
i corner of two narrow streets, one 0
Ia which rejoices in the name of Thread
nj needle. While not handsome to look at
Nm [ understood there was some money In
is side: il is the most complete building Il
In the world to keep money and protect
I'd against robbers. There are no window
he whatever on the sides toward IN
q, streets, and along the roof OF the reall
Iy one-story building is board walk 10
K the armed guards; while the passag
he leading to the official centre are SO con
%s % structed that they can be filled instantl
he with noxious gases, asphyxiatlng an
~ who might be there wrongfully, ye
IN this is only one of the many safeguards
nv The Bank is another of the great trafti
~ centres of London, point which is th
o. terminus of many lines Of omnibuses.
Sd A. G. SHERRY.
in Nothing In the wide world 80 GOOt
og was afflicted with Kidney disease
ne DIR. Kennedy's Fayorite Remedy, O
no Rondout, N. VI say it with perfec
- raooilacion of all that was done for m