Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-05
THE REFECToRY.

~ .-A:sas-.sr<> W IA az.
THE RErEcronY
country. The fresh tint of the damp grass con.
trasted with the richer color Of groves Of trees
from which peeped red-tiled cottage roofs
with blue smoke curling above them, and the
irregular chimney tops Of tho town and the
cathedral tower formed a blot Of grays and
puppies against the sky. Before us amid some
splendid elms stood the church and aims
house. for such the old word Hospital
here means; an institution founded by Henry
de Blois in 1136 for the perpetual
maintenance Of thirteen poor men, the daily
feeding Of one hundred paupers by an ample
dinner. and the giving of horn of ale and a
manchet of bread to whoever might ask for il
at the porters lodge. The old be9uest still re-
mains in force as far as concerns the thirteen
old men.
TIE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BABY.
One OF these individuals met us at the ivy
hung gateway and led US across the emerald
turf within to the church. He was a strange
fS ure enough, small and shrnnken with age,
his white hair flowing from beneath his black
velvet skull cap upon a long and ample black
cloak, on the breast of which was sewed a large
Maltese cross of silver, the badge of the broth
erhood, and itself 500 years old.
We were more interested in him than in the
church. which he showed US with much pride
and carefulness, insisting that every window
aud chapel should receive due attention. There
had been rather too much restoration done
here. we thought, and the old place had lost all
air Of antiquity under its new dress of paint
and gliding. but the brother himself in his
black cloak might have stepped out Of the if
teenth century. He told u.s. innocently garrnl-
GUS, that he was the youngest member of the
brotherhood. although eighty-four years old,
and they called him the Baby" We glanced
with other groups of travellers and saw that be
was really by far the most sprightly and ju-
venIle.
IN THE GREAT KITCHEN.
When we, in company with a severe British
matron and her five shy daughters had gone
through the church and seen the graves of de-
parted brothers in the aises the baby took us
TO the great kitchen. where the meals Of the
brethren are cooked, and in former times those
OF the 100 poor men kept the cooks busy as
we'll 1t was big. gloomy place, all built of
stone, with a monume ntal fireplace, where
some modern saucepans looked very much out
OF date. There was no cooking going on then,
the distance. but our guide told US that the
medieval regulations as to diet still existed,
with very little amendment.
"A leg of capon" is decreed to each old man
on certain days of the week, and ii is only re-
Gently that delectable fifteenth century dish
called gin plums," doled out every three DAYS,
has been changed 20 plum pudding to suit the
brothers modern tastes. Five times q day the
great gong sounds from the kitchen and the
black-sowned figures come meekly forth from
their little dwellings to receive their rations-
smoking hot-for consumption Mt home.
When We had looked into the cardinals hall.
built by Cardinal Beaufort, q gloomy store
room with the ecclesiastical hat everywhere in
its carven decorations. and seen some wonder
full leather bottles or blackjacks preserved
from time imnemorial, the 'baly' invited us to
visit his wife, and thus zee the interior Of one
OF the thirteen houses
THE INTERIOR OF ONE OF TIE HOUSES.
They are all together on one side of the
quadrangle. these curious little houses, each Of
two rooms, with door and q window opening
IN II ont upon the quadrangle and at the back
upon tiny garden, where each brother raises
bis own cabbages and scarlet runners. In the
rather dark little parlor OF the baby's house.
where the light fell dimly from the greenish
lattice upon decorations of painted texts and
much gay crockery. we found a neat little old
woman in black lace cap, who was crouch
ing over tiny coal fire, though the
sunlight giowed outside, and drinking
tea Something was lying on the sofa beside
her, over which she bent with great solicitude-
child we thought at first but il proved to be
sick cat The poor old soul talked of her pei
with unconscious pathos. His name, she said,
was Jumbo and be was Of the great age for d
cst) Of twelve years. He had lately wandered
away, with the restless desire to die apart OF
all sick animals but had come back again, to
their great Joy. At least they would know his
fate now. She stroked his tabby back tenderly
and We saw the shadow creeping into the poor
little circle where loves were so few, and Jumbo
had been the ono touch of youth and bright
ness We felt sorry for the old couple in The
silent quadrangle, where life must be as mar
row as their tiny house.
ON THE HIGH ROAD.
Our walk back to the ancient capital of Eng
land was by high road bordered with greer
old inns and black-timbered cottages whose
Struggling roofs often lostled the spruce tilei
OF some neat suburban villa. Smart carriage,
ratified past us carrying pretty gaiiy dressed
girls TO u garden party, which was going OF
| somewhere beyond the water meadows-ws
caught a glimpse OF white tents and f1utterinf
flags We passed under the crumbling arch
| way which marks the place Of q former towr
gate, and looked down the dim lamp-lit street
with its dark wynds and mysterious aiiey
leading to forgotten churches or deserted man
| sions-
| TWILIGHT DINNER.
1t was dinner time now, and in the dusk o.
the summer twilight we found the quaint coffe,
room Of the George Inn inviting enough, will
Its little widespread tables each lighted will
candles in massive silver sticks. The sof
beams Of the candles mingled in u mellow gioy
| with the sunset light and brought out the iurk
ing shadows OF the old wainscoted room, viii
its prevailing odor of old port and OLD Sutton
Weate the conventional roast beef and plum
tart beside the open window, with Its view o
the strange gables and dormcrs across tn
street, and genial ghosts Of FalstaH and Ann
Page, OF the wife OF Bath and Sir Roger d,
Coverly hoated In on the soft smoky air an,
mingled with the cheerful phAntoms OF Emm
Woodhouse and Col Newcoms and David Cop