Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-01
VISITING AN EARLY HOME.
An Americas woman's Rather crushing
Experfence in Old England.


Experience in Old England
A womancf English ancestry and birth,
but who is American bred, has cherished
for years the hol- of some time revisiting
the home of her infancy, and in particular
of entering the house where she was born.
Although it had long passed from the
family, and no relatives remained in the
village where it stands, her father had so
often described It's site and appearance
that she felt she could find it without
other clew.
At length, after long waiting, the dream
OF life approached actually, and steam
ship bore the happy woman away in search
OF ancestral surroundings. Reaching Lon
don' she scarcely stopped for rest before
pursuing her journey. The next day found
her IN the little village where she had first
seen the light, and, after registering at the
one hotel alone, and not knowing a person
IN the place, she started down the street
upon which should be the object of her
search.
She had only the oft repeated stories of
lips long stillod to guide her but she felt
sure she should kI.ow it. And she Journey
ed on. Suddenly her heart beat fast
there, across the way was a house with an
archway and a room over it, with lust one
window, a double easement, opening out.
and little loaded pane5-all as it had been
described. she crossed and sought admit
lance. While her knock was being answer.
ed she framed her query. i must be frank
with them" she thought, "or they will
think me an imposter."
Finallya neat looking woman opeped the
door,
do You know if this house was occu-
pied at a certain time by Mr.. " ;" she
began.
No" the woman did not know; she had
lived there only year.
Il am his daughter" said the traveller,
then, and have reason to believe he once
lived here. have come from the United
States all the way over here to see it. In
that room over the arehway," pointing to
it, Il and brother were born, and there
my mother and grandmother died. They
lie in the churchyard here. Would Won
think it too much to let me go into the
room for few moments?" she finished
The room is not in order" said the
woman.
"Oh, l should not mind that | only
wanted to look out of the window at the
hills and see the chimney piece and"-
The room is not in order" interrupted
the woman shortly.
1t was O'Clock, and the traveller did not
much believe this.
II will walk down the street." she said,
"and come back" But no. the woman had
her children to attend to and would prom
Use nothing.
May | come in the morning. them"
asked the other, disappointed Il am stay
ing at the Bull, and viii come up if You
viii allow me-"
Il shall be busy" was the reply.
a sudden thought came TO the applicant
Il will give you shilling for the privi-
lege," she hazarled
Very well, You may 80 right up" was
the instant response.
But this Is not all When the traveller
came out she continued her walk along
the street and shortly came upon a second
house, the duplicate, apparently. Of the
one she had just been in. Alarmed lest
she had been pouring out her emotions at
the wrong shrine, She entered this place
also. The lower part was n store, and the
young woman behind the counter answered
her questions.
"Oh, yes; Mr.. W. had owned this house
and the EeNt one. He sold both to Mr.. O..
and they had bought this one very Lately
from the latter"
This, then, was the historic spot she
sought, and forgetting her recent expert
ence in the rush Of feeling. she told ner
story and asked to enter the apartment
made sacred to her by such prominent
events of her life
THE rooms not in order" said the girl.
cchoing her neigh5or up the street.
The woman from America went through
her list of protests as she had done before.
importuning the mother, who appeared on
the scene, with all the eloquence of which
she was capable. She felt somehow as if
she ought not to offer money to these PEG
pie who had almost known her family, but
finally, in despair, she ventured, Il should
be glad to pay for the opportunity to 90 to
the room"
The celebrity with which she was ushered
there took away her breath.-Her Point of
View in New York Times