The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-08

the brightness that one gentle presence left
upon it. and in the memories of gray old
men and women near for her sake alone, ID
Is all but forgiven, and Griff is still Griff
with sad and tender charm. 1t will not DO
long until these few hungry human crabs
who bear another's deafness name will have
passed away and have left for a day, as
time is reckond, q little shodeow here Then
all may come, with a reverent blessing for
George Eilot's girlhood home.
To the literary pilgrim there ere many
charming surprises in the neighborhood of
Grif during a quest Of Identification of
places and persons with individuality Of the
novelist. 1t is little more than fifty years
since George Eliot left Griif forever; quite
forty years since she babe farewell TO the
lovely home at BIRD Grove" Foleshill,
Coventry.
Yet there are scores of folk remaining,
high and lowiy, who knew her intimately
as maid and women. Some who were her
playmates still survive. A few of those
whom she gathered into the cottage of oil
Dame Moore, just opposite the gates of
Griff aud taught the way of hope, are still
here 10 bless her with qu1veriug voice and
tear-dimmed eyes.
One of the most genial of English gentle
men and helpers Of those who come is
Montagu Wilks, solicitor, of Coventry
Through his hearty, kindly aid much
searching for these folks by stranger in a
strange land is lightened and made glad
some pleasure. Through him learned of
many about Coventry who had loving
"reminiscences OF one whom alllwho knew
had loved. Her dearest friende of early
womanhood was Mrs. Charles Bray who
now lives with sister, a Mrs. Hafneil, on
the Radford road, in the ssubufhs of
Coventry.
Probably no othern person now living
could throw so much real light on the nov,
elist's early life as could Mrs Bray. An
other old friend is Mrs. Cash, a near
neighbor of Mrs. Bray while Joseph Cash,
wealthy Coventry manufacturer, owns
and resides in Birds Grove" the house in
which George Eliot wrote Scenes of Cler-
ical Life" BY far the most interesting and
uncommunicative of the novelist's contem-
poraries here is an ancient professor of
music, SO years old, named Simms, who re-
sides on the Radford road. He was upward
of fifty-three years organist of Coventry's
famous ST. Miohael's church, and 1t was he
who taught George Eliot the mastery of the
organ and piano forte.
My own discoveries Of those who had
lived about GrifP when the members of
George Eliot's family were all together here,
include John Marston, an old wheelwright,
whose smithy still stands near the steading:
"Bilp Jaques, n years Of age, e schoolmate
of Isaac Evans and a playmate of the novel
list; the old man. Crabstock, whose generos-
itY with a single turnip COST him his place
at Griff; Richard Emmons, living at Stock
ingford, now very old man and reputed
by the peasantry to have ''hatfuIs of SOW
ereigns," who was, in turn, field iaborer,
house servant and footman at Griff, foot
man at Birds Lodge" and, finally, house
servant back at Griff for Isaac Evans, until
his death In 1890; and William Moore, now
73 years Of age. who lives at Collycroft,
little miners hamlet between Bedworth and
Griff
The latter ia the son of the veritable
Dame Moore, who kept the Danes school
opposite Griff's gates. It was in his mothers
cottage that George Eliot, then a maiden
of 10, gathered together the children Of the