The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-08-13
lllgkEMANS TRAVELS.
Home Of British Army Veterans
Beside-tho Thames.
AMONG OLD CHELSEA PENSIONERS
Thcir Daily I.ivcs...scencs in Ward
Rpo,ns. Chapel and llali-.-Intcrest-
ing Traditions and "Reminiscences.
The Belief that Neil Gwynne Had
All to do With Founding the Hos
pitai.-.Iwo Romantic stones.

fla tCQtllH0HIbps l4fGt ~ LUuAlt - NAhA1AS-'l
settial car's oadsace n 40 Ia'e.itsts@r
LcxpoS, August LIN olden times
discharged nddcstltu.c Veterans Of the
British army wandered from door to
door, usually from tap room door to
door, and secured food and drink by OK
hibiting their scars or spinning delect-
able yarns for tho entertainment OF any
who might bestow charity upon them.
They could also knock at the doors Of
monastic houscs with the assurance Of
receiving bread andale and lodging for
the night.
After the Restoration their condition
wasja scandal to King Charles II, and
the country. Authorities differ not
( only widely but yituperously as to tho
origin Of practical effort for their bet
teruent Some hold that tho English
wero piqued into action through tho
Establishment BY LouiB NV, OF the
Inrdli7ts in Paris ns o Totreat for French
yeterana. THERE'S record that as early
as 1865 q scheme for on infsmary for
disabled English Gaiiors had been sub
rnitted to Pepys, 90 Clerk OF Admiralty.
Others ccntsq: that the second Charles
had lazy sort Of design to house and
comfort tile ragged old veterans who
had been loyal to his father before the
latter had lost his kingiy head.
But sometimes tradition has longer
legY than history. British people will
mover cease believing the tradition that
rough, kind heaTted Nell Gwynne had
all to do witt tho founding OF Chelsea
hospital for Btitisi pensioners. There
are two pretty stories OF how 1t finally
came about that an army Of savage old
critics and iconoclaSts can never dis.
parnee among the British masses.
One is that ono day Nell was sitting
with Charles in her summon house at
Chelsun, ono III whose windows over
looked tbs One meadows surrounding
King janice college. when the paymas-
ter 81 the forces entered, and thesubject
ofthe projected hospital aud tho diff
Guilty of fntiing a proper site was re-
surned. "Your majesty Gould not do
better said Sir Stephen Fox, ethan
purchase from tho royal aociety." This
Comprised King James college and
grounds which Rad Just been bought as
q gift to Nell at q cost otsthirteen hun.
dred pounds. "'Tis welTgthought or
replied the king, casting his eye over
the beautiful plot Of ground. "Youl
shall have IT." but recollecting himself.
he instantly added, "0asol I forgot
have already given this land 70 Nell
here 'tHayeS you SO, CharlesW ex-
claimed Nellgaily; then. Twill return i
10 you again for SO good b purpose"
The offer was accepted, aud Nell was
transferred to q mansion built tort her
in Pail Mallby the king:N
ANOTHER yERsioN.<
Another more romantic version is
that one day pretty Nell was riding in
the king's giided coach, and being most
discohsolate the king rallied her. when
she confessed that her distress was ow-
eng TO the following dreamT
sdethought was in the fields Of
Chelsea, and slowly there rose before
my eyes beautiful palace Of a thou.
sand chambers; and in and out thereof
walked divers many old and worn out
soldier men with all kinds OF scars, and;
many MANNED as To their limbs Alliof
them were aged and past service; and
al they went out and came In, the old
men cried: God bless King Oharlesp
And ] aWoke, and was sore diseomht.
ed that it was only dream.
The story goes that the king was
touched by Nell s dream, and there and
then swofe d great oath that 1t should
come to reality. And so IL did. The
king hardly saw more than the corner
stone laid BY Sir Christopher Wren, in
1881; but before Or. Tension, afterwards
archbishop OF Canterbury, had preached
Nell Gwynne's funeral Sermon in 1890
there truly Slowly rose before her eyes
abeautiful palace of q thousand chan-
bers, where, though she did not live.
long enough. to know It, there have been
many hlessings from grateful threats IN
efizslad frames, II not for Charles, for
the lowly orange girl whoi Whatever her
life OF faults, was ever great enough
tomove d protligate king TO most OF the
good and generous acts which he per-
formed.
An easy and delightful way to visit
Chelsea hospital 10 70 take ono OF the
countless Thames steamers, These ply
up and down the river at oil hours Of
the day and night, taking on and land
ing hundredA OF passengers at piora
about q quarter Of q mile apart, on each
side d tho river; something as tho little
Philadelphia pleasure boats puff up and
downthe schuylkill, between the dam
and Niiaihickon,
This zlezag trip on the Thames II the
most interesting in all the world, forits
distance; providing yor 90 on board,
gay, at the I0id SwaIG pier, on the city
side OF london bridge; for che tower,
tho Monument, st. Paups, Westminster
Abbey, parliament houses; Lamberth
palace md numbosless other u Lon
don's eteatcst and most historic struc-
lures arc passed; while tho Thames
here not only presents its liyellest PIANO.
Tauias OF stupendous intorests. varied
sccnhs and .characterful lie, but shows
Tint portion most renowned IN fiction
and history for more than thousand
Abntslne Albert bridge at tho west.
cff end Of that portion OF the ThameR
called Chelsea Reach, yon step upon q
little pier and thence upon tho upper
Thames clnbankment, aud at once are
wiliinJn charmed and charminsfegion
Almost within stones throw OF the
Hospital grounds have tarrled, OF lived
OF died, hundreds famous IN history,
literature and art smollet came here
tolitB In retircment IN 1850, IN 9 house
ofieo owned by Horny WIN. Sir
Thomas MorS's black memorial slab Is
IN Chelsua Old Church Lady Dacre,
I.ady Jane chesnc and tue Duchess 81