The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-25

trance gate, iron-spiked and chained, is
farm bears a notice to the effect that 'any
persons found trespassing will be prosecu-
ted" 1t was not always SO diffioult to OBJ
tain admission to the house and grounds,
but the rudeness and wanton mischief fo..
merly experienced has necessarily imposed
penalties on others who know how to behave
themselves, and now F%arringford park il
strictly closed 70 strangers. Flowers were
picked and ferns dug up Wholesale, and one
is not surprised, therefore, to and this no.
tioe in the private road: mo one is allowed
to touch the ferns and flowers in this pri-
vate carriage road. By order" One golden
opportunity, however, presents itself i n the
of Tennyson. The Freshwater flower show
is usually held in the park at the end of
August, and hundreds from all parts of the
island take advantage Of the event and eX-
plors the beautiful surroundings. In fact,
it is we'll known locally that the flower SHOW
is not the only attraction. Tennyson ia
never present at these functions, and the
duty of entertaining the visitors il under
taken by Hallam T%ennyson.
Iennyson does not a any great inter
est in local affairs. He has been known to
nominate a county councillor in the Isle of
Wight, but beyond that he is not a keen
politician. He does not even attend tho
L ilhtIoSo l0dkucS udh AOt oven OuIh0Qou tl0
doors of the parish church for many years.
One of the Haslemere tradesmen, who is a
non-conformlst village preacher, tells with
much satisfaction how he once numbered
Tennyson in his audience. He was going
over Breakdown on = preaching visit, and
having started somewhat earlier rested on
a bank to rehearse his discourse, as he
thought, to the summer breeze. On nearly
reaching its conclusion he found to his sur
prise that he WAS not alone. for on the
other side of the bank there were Tennyson
and the duke of Argyll. They had evidently
been listeners some time, but finding
their presence was noticed made of
hoped that the seed did not fail
into stony ground" for it must have been
the only sermon that the poet had heard for
many years. Notwithstanding the fact that
he Is Il ION -churchRoer, Tennyson is friend
lly with local clergy and visits them at rare
intervals. At Freshwater his ~favorite com
panion is Rev. p. Hayethornthwaite, the
Roman Catholic priest. Father Peter"
az he is commonly called, is we'll known
over the southern part of the island. He is
extremely popular with all classes for his
bonhomie. and ls, beside a scholar, a gem
tlemkn. Rarely a day passes but Father
Peter" pays a visit to the poet when he is
staying at F~arringford house. The only
event which draws Iennyson from his re-
tlrsnent IL the annual Haslemere tiowe,
show, held in the middle of August in the
lovely grounds of j. Stewart Hodgson, al
Lyths Hill.
Tennyson has very few dealings with thu
villagers. They come and go unheedin.
and unheeded, bat there are a few of tn,
older Inhabitants with whom he is more o.
less friendly. One shopkeeper, who pos
sesses a beautiful old-fashioned qarde,
with choice apple trees. often receives tn,
poet. When the apples are ripsninR b.
comes into the shop, and, shnffling through
into the garden, mutters, "How's your az,
piex!" Among his miscellaneous stock thi
tradesman keeps a supply of cheap yellow
back" novels, ana at one time when a Fl esi
one arrived the poet would hunt them owe
tor something to resd.'' The poet
household consists of Lady Iennyso,
and his son and his sons wife. Her lady
ship Is n confirmed invalid, and but rare,
seen outside the grounds. But notwith
standing her physical ailments hor tai
ents as a composer have been lntely rscop
nlZed. Mr.. Hallam," as the villagers cal
him, is a fine specimen of an English coun
try gentleman, and acts as his father's sec
Rotary and right hand supporter. Tenny
son rarely writes private letters now, and
practically speaking, leaves the waole O
his CORES ondencs to his son. Howeye
skillful!y wordsd the epistle might b
framed, the autograph hunter would miser
ably fail in his purpose; though only
week since a local official WAS Boosting t
the writer that he held the poets signature
IL appears that he refused to give up n con
slRnment of win until Tennyson, and Ten
nySon alone, wrote his name as a recsipr
Needless to say, this is carefully and prouc
ly preserved.
| All plain ii riDk 4 Mt IA In r N ,ds tbts 10.