Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-12-26
QUEER BRITISH CUSTOMS.
Ono of Which Deals with southdowns and
l. the Other With tho Queens Book. .

QOEGh bhI ISrt Jus OMS.
Ono of which Deals with southdowns and
p the Other with tho Queens Book. 9
While was in England, 1t really be-
same quite n question with me how tho
English managed TO get such decorative
results out of their sheep, so persist
emily did find wherever went, the
Southdown effect" in the landscape.
Whenever I went to pay a visit to the
country, there, in full view of the draw
ing-room windows, were the everlast-
ing Souta1owns-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
of the world. The finished look of
everything wearied me occasionally.
The hills, so smooth and polished, the
pomaded and well-combed lawns, awoke
in me wish to see a baby cyclone Of our
territories hurling 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 a
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 OH the part of
the timorous creatures who were willing
to contribute themselves to the scene, or
because of invisible lettering.
l finally asked my hostess at a 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, land I've noticed, also,
that my daughters pony has way of
| joining the group whenever it would be a
most successful time for him to appear"
If we Americans seem to be lacking
in the bump of veneration, it is only in
| speech, not in deed. visited in 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 bookshelves
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-
guished person that would fetch guineas
at sale.
There seemed to have been no effort
on the part of the house-owner, who, ii
goes without saying, was person OF
distinction, to preserve or even put
away these priceless volumes. Over
the tea-table the vivacious American
girl gave us little running account oi
some of these treasures. what do you
think we have unearthed now" she
said, from away back in a closet thai
seemed given over to rubbish? Moth
ing less than the Queens book, and or
the flyleaf written, Albert wished it
There was not trace of awe in hel
tone, only girls happy laughter; "ant
you can't imagine what state we are
in to decide what he wished"
1t was the Queens presentation copy
to their landlord. 'My brother and
feel so injured because she is so brief,
she went on. ''We 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 th
Queen from that she would have use,
in speaking of any other woman.
thought with glee of my charmin,
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, an
imated girl refer to their sovereign a
if she was mads of just such clay as w
are!-Elizabeth Il. Custer, in st. Loui
Republic