The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-12-26
QUEER eRlTIsH CusrOMs.
Ono of which Deals with southdowns and
the other with the Queens Book.

Ono dt winch Deals WIN SouthdoWnS ami
the other with the Queens Book.
While was in England, it really be-
came quite question with me how the
English managed to get such decorative
results out of their sheep. so persist
emily did find, wherever l went, the
Southdown effect" in the landscape.
Whenever | went to pay visit TO the
country, there, in full view of the draw
ingroom windows, were the everlast-
ing Southdowns-the lambs without
frisk the subdued mother helping to
complete the soft. soothing tone of the
perfectly finished landscape.
] grew sometimes almost to long for
something half finished that one might
watch, as we do at home, the progress
If the world The finished look of
everything wearied me occasionally.
The hills, so smooth and polished, the
pomaded and well-combed lawns, awolse
in me a wish to see a baby cyclone of our
territories hurting through the air on its
progress to some of the most glossy and
well-groomed grass-plats, and where
generations had pruned and clipped and
moved longed for the wand Of the
magician to transfer one of the wild
eXultant dalles of the Columbia or n
section of the bad lands of Dakota that
out Dore Dore in their weird, uncanny
shapes.
But while these revolutionary senti-
ments lay under conventional exterior,
the peaceful sheep browsed on in much
the same place; either remaining there
from preconcerted action on the part of
the timorous creatures who were willing
to contribute themselves to the scene. or
because of invisible lettering.
finally asked my hostess at house
had visited what soothing sirup they
used to keep their Southdowns exactly
in range of the windows.
They are very accommodating, aren't
| they?" she said, "and I've noticed, also
that my daughters pony has way OF
| joining the group whenever it would be Il
most successful time for him to appear.
If we Americans seem to be lacking
in the bump of veneration, it is oriy in
speech, not in decd visited y, a charm
ing household in Kensington one day,
where the young people were wishing
to do us honor. They lived in London
and enjoyed it, but they still spoke the
language of the United States and had
not lost the national capacity for en-
| thusiasm. The house they rented was
full of heirlooms, and the book shelves
and cupboards and closets stuffed with
books, old and choice and many of them
presentation copies. On the fly leaf was
often the autograph of some distin-
/ -,
at u sale.
| There seemed to have been no effort
on the part of the house-owner, who, il
| goes without saying, was person o.
distinction, to preserve or even put
away these priceless volumes. Ovel
the tca-table the vivacious American
| girl gave us little running account o.
some of these treasures. "What do yo,
think we have unearthed now" she
said, from away back in closet tina
seemed given over to rubbish? Moth
ing less than the Queens book, and OF
the fiyleaf written, Albert wished it.
There was not a trace of awe in he
tone, only girls happy laughter; ''anC
you can't imagine what state we ar,
in to decide what he wished"
It was the Queens presentation cop,
to their landlord. ''My brother and
feel so injured because she is SO brief,
she went on. I'VE dispute whethe
Albert wished her to write the book o
to give it to this especial friend, o
what" There was not shade o
difference in her tone in speaking of tn
Queen from that she would have use
in speaking of any other woman.
thought with glee of my charming
landladies, those three loyal, high bre
English women, whose tones sank to
subdued hush when Victoria's nam
was uttered. O, if they only coul
have heard this clever, unconscious, ar
mated girl refer to their sovereign a
if she was made of just such clay as w
are!-Elizabeth b. Custer, in st. Loui
Republic.