Morning journal and courier., 1891-02-14

big tower where Byron lay buried nobody
in Hucknall Torkard seemed able to dis.
close it. l, inquired here and there OF
those met, and was either laughed at, OIL
informed that while they would not deny,
it was very wide of their habit to assert
what they did not know.
"Ah o. could ma tell ee, mon. Vicar
Phillips maun tell ee.n came from all who
would speak. At little shops as pro.
gressed along the street was told to ask
at the next door; and groups gathered. be.
hind me to tap their noses and shake their
heads gravely. To be badgered thus when
searching for the grave of one known to
all the world yet unknown to the thou
sands within rifie-shot of his own sepul-
ture, was confusing in indignation and re-
gret. Half way up the street 1 took re.
fuge from curious and suspicious eyes in a
draper's on pretense of some slight pur-
chase, and engaged the proprietor, a man
of apparently good intelligence, in conyer-
sation. Explaining my dilemma, apollo
getlcally related how another upon a time
had come to Hucknall Torkard, hunting
Byron's grave, and was met by one of the
inhabitants with the rejoinder, 'sByronl
All niver 'eerd on i'm. Yer means Ben
Caunt." Ben Caunt was noted pugilist,
Anybody in Nottinghamshire can tell Won
where his grave is in st. Mary's church.
yard A look of kindling intelligence and
sympathy came into the draper's face a.
he handed me my change. while he told
me that very many came to drop a tear on
poor old Ben's grave. But as the draper
had only been in Hucknall Torkard for tht
matter of eighteen months, he could moi
tell me about "t'other un!''
After this | made my way in silence to
the churchyard. A high iron fence sur.
rounded it. The gate was locked. and the
grave-bordered walk leading to the church
entrance seemed suggestive of disusa al
the place either for the solace OF the liv.
ing or care of the dead. Dreading furthe,
Inquiries of the villagers. 1 walked around
the dark and drear old spot. hoping to find
some way of entrance alone. This wa,
unavailing. Returning TO the cate. | saw
across the open space below the souara 9
crowd of bedraggled women aud children
watching my movements attentively. On,
with babe at her breast and three li,tI.
ones pulling at her ragged skirt, held aloft
some huge, langling keys. Then tht
crowd laughed at the signaling and my
shame faced nod of acquiescence, ant
part of its hungry members advanced Il
the gate. They Were scrawny, savagu
creatures all, with bare feet, breasts. head,
after. l bought them all off save the on,
with the keys on condition that the gat.
should be locked after us; and by the tim
my guide and her brood had effected thi
every one of her former companions haC
| disappeared with shrill-voiced raillery int,
various dram-shops of the square below.
That one could make such pilgrimage il
England to the shrine of any one of he
mighty dead, and find it within such pitia
bly, mean and abject surroundings, is
degrading reproach on the whole English
speaking race. Only the ghouls who hav
ceaselessly besmirched Byron's name anC
fame could come here and not cry out will
pain and outraged grief at the endless
taunt and shame of this incredible BELT
| tlement
The sodden woman, dawdling her KEY:
beside me and staring vacuously at tn,
meager light above the chancel, was fittin.
type of the insensate foIgetfulness ant
oblivion to which these poor relics of on
possessing sublime genius have beer
doomed. L asked her falteringly if a grea
many visitors did not come to St. Mary's
She cad not 'eerd it," if it were so. Bu
were there not in, say, @ years time tw,
| or three thousand: She laughed outr1gh
| and informed me that not enough came t.
provide any decent family with "a pint
Gay. IhlS was new view of it. By
| ron's grave not worth, for income. a pin
| of beer a day! Well, were there on
thousand. She shook her head contemp
tuously. Did FIVE hundred come eacl
year! Were there two hundred and fifty
'.Niver fluffy (ffty), mon, on'y wen til
restoration to be.
This restoration" occurred in 1888. 1
is sounding, significant word The lit
tie old church was then ruin with III,
exception of the tower. Apparently no
one thousand pounds was expended. Tn,
walls are up again. The roof is whole
4 commonplace east window is standing
above the altar. a tiny chancel was add
| ed and little boxes of transepts were put
\ in. At the right of the chancel. above the
| choir, is this memorial tablet
In the Vault beneath
where many OF his ancestors and his mother ar,
Buried lie the remains of
George rdon Noel Byron
Lord Byron of Rochdale
In the county of Lancaster
The Author of Childe HaroId's Pilgrimage
He was born in London on the
2and OF January. I7SS.
He died ct MisSolonghi. in Western Greece or