Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-30
ON FOOT IN ENGLAND.
A Pittsburger's Trip From Bourne
mouth Down to Winchester.
SPOT WHERE WILLIAM RUFUSFELL
Accommodations the Traveller Gets IN Small
English Towns.
THE BIG CATHEDRAL AT WINCHESTER
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE pmr.rwJ

/
come so common nowadays that but ittl,
attention is given to the old-fashioned styl
OF seeing a country-the one adopted b,
Oliver Goldsmith-namely, walking. But
like in America, the walking is cheap here
unlike it, otherwise, it is good, and ever,
mile of the road traversed is interesting il
scenery or historical associations In com
pany with medical gentleman engaged il
similar special studies in the London hos
pitfalls the writer recently paid visit to th,
session of the British Medical Association
at Bournemouth, where q very profitable
and enjoyable time was spent. What with
hearing the most famous surgeons and ply
sicians discuss new methods, and with gar
den pafties, banquets, excursions, ETC., the
time went merrily as wedding bell
Bournemouth is one Of the fashionable
watering places of England, and the con.
trast between its quietude, If not sleepiness,
and the gaiety of our American ones Is
altogether in favor of the latter save
for people who are getting ready to die.
Were the average American disposed
to act as the average Briton does in Amer.
lea and write an account of all the things
he finds to criticise or smile at, the intelli.
gent Yankee would have little time fol-
anything else. But he does not. He looks
on, and, saying nothing, saws wood"
BRITISH WAYS INsCRUTABLE
But the idea of civilized individual get
ting into a sort of shanty on wheels when
he wants to bathe in the ocean, and being so
exclusive tEat he |ants no one to look at
him or to use his part of the Atlantic is GER
tainly calculated to create smile. But
there is no use going into this subject
After residence of nearly one year in the
capital of Merrie England the ways of the
brave Briton are just as inscrutable and
past finding out as they seemed the first day
to the visitor.
1t is claimed that Bournemouth is one of
the healthiest summer resorts in England,
and the facts seem to bear this statement
out. The inhabitants of the place extended
the most cordial and liberal hospitality to
all in attendance on the association meet
ing. But all good things must have an end,
so, with mournful feelings, after a stay Of
two days in the picturesque little town, we
turned our faces toward our Mecca of Lon
don, determined to walk the greater part Of
the way back and see the most historical
parts of the country. A hundred
and ten miles is nothing to two young
men with Light hearts and light luggage,
for the latter consisted of an umbrella
apiece. The only disadvantage about this
style Of travelling was that we were once
compelled to submit to the great indignity
of paying in advance, but this hotel was
kept by an Englishman who had been un-
successful in America, and was trying to
get even, perhaps.
A JOLLY OLD BoNIFACE.
The first afternoon the course Law along
the ocean, with view of the Isle of Wight
in the distance, and the length of the walk
was ten miles to the old town of Christ
Church. The Kings Arms, Henry New.
lyn, proprietor, was the first stopping place,
and fine accommodations were provided for
. very reasonable sum. The landlord is one
of the characters of the neighborhood, hav-
ing lived there all of his 80 years. After q
light supper we were invited by the old
gentleman into his smoking room, where he
became reminiscent on slight stimulation
and spoke of the good old days when he
was Mayor, and had two hotels, and had
26 horses, and of the famous persons who
had been his guesta Red-cheeked maid
servants tripped in and out with pipes and
lights for the old gentleman, while neigh
Dor dropped in to talk or tor q smoke with
bis old friend
The church stands on slightly elevated
ground and commands q view of Christ
Church Bay. 1t has all the magifcence of
and with one exception, Winches,
ter Cathedral, it is the largest church in
England, if not Europe, being 5S5 feet in
lenghth. Evidences of the War of the
Roses are seen in many of the paintings and
sculptor work in its interior. The chair
seats or misericordias are very interesting,
being of carved walnut and are so arranged
hat the luckless monk who fell asleep at
,he midnight service would also fall to the
1oor. A leper's window, where the sacra-
nent was passed or thrown to the poor un-
as he stood in a small cell-like
prison, was shown. A handsome monument
% the memory of the poet, Shelley, is in the
church near the entrance.
The River Avon flows through the town
md on its banks are the ruins OF an old
eudal castle the walls of which are fairly
in ivy. Taking to the road at
80 A. M, we walked to Ringwood by way
# Hinton Admiral, seeing many typical |
english sights, such as relocated grooms |
N horseback with hounds in leash old |
ountry seats with lodges and hedges
Luaint little cottages with straw roofs and |
window panes curious inns
With still more curious signboards, such as |
he Cat and Fiddle, with accompanying il |
ustrations.
ONE OF THE HoTELA
At 80 P. M. we reached Fording bridge |
nd stopped at The Greyhound, after hav-
ng covered % miles of territory. The |
eatness and cleanliness of this hotel, as
indeed, of all we were at, was q source of
reat pleasure and comfort to US. Although
re were the only guests the table was pro-
usely decorated with fresh garden flowers,
7hile the table linen was like snow and the
urniture of the room Of the most costly
Gather and walnut variety and some very
andsome old paintings adorned the walls
f the room.
The next day the route lay through New
'orest, where Rufus, the son of William
he Conqueror, was shot. For six miles
trough this tract of country not o single
ouse was seen or sign of life, only purple
Gather clad plains as far as the eye could
ZACH Finally we came to an old lady's
,ttage and found her reading her Bible
She told US she was perfectly
.tisfed with her life and surroundings, al
lough she had neither riches nor children
#. During the morning we were passed
Y many 'cyclers, but only saw one pedes-
ian. This part of the forest was laid waste
= the conqueror, so that there are no trees
be seen, although the heather, daisies
Id holly made a pleasant scene. Rabbits
ere the only wild animals seen, and at one
lace we counted II of these little fellows
field. Strange to say, we saw no birds
we the swallows under the caves of cot
ges or the common sparrow, and in all the |