Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-12-17
STORIES TOLD .oF TENNYsoN
The stately Old Man Could Unbend OF
Occasions.

y OHlES lOED sOF / EN- NYSON
The stately Old Man Could Unbend on
Occasions.
| An Englishman, writing to a London
paper, quotes a whimsical little story
old by Tennyson- 1T was, l think, Ia
the year 1885" says this correspondent,
that l was visiting in Lincolnshire, and
my host proposed that we should eau
on the Turner's, ON the chance of finding
Tennyson there. He had just arrived
a few days before, and was, fortunately,
at home. My friend, as u Lincoln
shire man, was already acquainted with
him, and began at once to draw him
out. This was no easy task, for, as he
said afterward, ''Tennyson is just like
a sleeping lion. who requires a great deal
of stirring up before he will roar.
AT last, however, the desired roar came.
The conversation turned on education,
and the spread of scientific knowledge,
Yes, said Tennyson, it is spreading,
and it is crushing all the romance and
poetry out of childrens lives. 1t was
only yesterday l was walking in thu
fields with one of my nephews-a little
chap of or 10-when we came to "A
fairy ring. Look / said, look here,
my boy, here is a fairy ring A what.
uncleF he said. Why, a fairy rims
The old folks would tell you that these
fairy rings are so called because the
fairies We're dancing here last night.
oh, uncle he replied, quite grayely,
it is well known that these fairy rings,
as you call them, are caused by the
species of fungus
The following coincidence" adds
this writer will at least be considered
curious: A friend Of mine, who has
been a lifelong student of Tennyson,
at last gained an introduction to him.
His object in doing so was to obtain
from the poet himself an explanation
of certain things hard to be understood
in the In Memoriam, on which he had
exercised his poor wits in vain for many
Il long year In the course Of the CON
verSation, my friends copy of Tenny-
son passed into the poets hands. Turn
ing over the pages he suddenly eXclaiu-
ed: Why did you write yarmouth
against this stanza% Because said my
friend, i read it there Wen, that
is most extraordinary, was the reply,
for l wrote it there.
Another Englishman relates a little
story to prove his assertion that how
ever unapproachable in the usual way
Tennyson might be, the stately poet
could, on occasion, unbend. Some years
ago, when Lord (then Mr. Tennyson
used to stay with an old friend i'll Ham
ilton terrace, the cloaked and slouched-
hated figure attracted much attention
as he took his daily constitutional up
and down that broad St Johns Wood
boulevard. So seldom was the laure-
ate seen in London that there was even
some doubt and speculation among the
residents as to his identity To the
young ladies, especially of Il boarding
school in the neighdorhoOd, the mys-
ferrous stranger was the cause Of !uite
a little tlutter Of romantic interest as
they passed him in their daily walk
One of the day boarderS, who resided
in the terrace, a young lady Of remark
able self-possesSion and determined will
warmly debated the topic of the hour
with her father, who remained incredu-
lous. Confident that the stranger really
was the author of the "Idylls of the
King" the daughter declared her inten-
ton Of asking him herself, to settle the
question. Her goodhomored parent
then laid a wager that she would not
dare to beard the lion cOram populO.
Next day, accordingly, as the school
filed past the poet, this daring pupil
left the ranks before the Mortified eyes
Of the lady principal, and, rushing up
to the astonished poet, interviewed him
on the spot as follows: please would
you mind telling me if you are Mr..
Tennyson| what is that to do with
your he roughly said. "Oh, it matters
a great deal to me. l want to know"
CThis with an air of convincing logc)
What do you want to know for?' SAID
the bear. why, some people say You
are Mr. TennysOn, and some say you are
not and father bet me a tive-pound
note l would not ask you. And now
have asked you, and whether l am
right or not, have won my five
pounds. We'll you are a brave girl
and deserve to know. You may tell your
father | am Mr.. Tennysou"