The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-05-14
TSrecial Correspondence of the RECORD
ITNInN DOWNRIGHT. 1921

ISrecfal Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright, 1921
GLOUCESTER, England, April 80, 1852.
From among the CotswoId~ Hills / had,
for days, caught enticing glimpses of the
spires and roofs of ancient Gloucester
grouped about the huge tower of its
splendid cathedral, all Struggled amid
rich verdure beside the cleaning waters
of the Severn. Tne'old Cathedral town.
far from the worn ways of travel, rich in
history, legends and quaint old architect
ure of long ago, and still peaceful and
simple in its provincial coloring and
ways, at last won me from the mountains
through winding beech-lined roads and
poisoning hawthorne lanes.
Besides, there was personal interest
in the gray old town. All of us, title
haters that we Americans fercely assure
the rest of the world we are, love 10
know, if we are honest enough to confess
il, that, away back somewhere along the
blood line behind us, there has been some
one OF our kin who was somebody, who
really did something, and who was man
enough, good or bad, To have left an I'M
press and record upon the affairs OF his
lime. Without pride or envy could
contemplate those Of my family and name
who as the ''eldeSt sons OF eldest sons,
had, for nearly thousand years, enjoyed
their titles. estates and castles over in
Shropshire and Wales.
But to know that another relative, J Ohm
Wakeman. the last A blot of TeWkeSbury,
chaplain to Henry VIII, had not only
been made the first Bishop OF the See OF
Gloucester on its erection into a diocese,
the I'd OF September l54l, but had also
been one Of the translators of the New
Testament, the Revelations of st. john
having been assigned to him, was some
thing TO quicken the pace and send along
the veins pleasant thrill Of fine satistac
lion ana pride.
Something after the manner of the
ownership feeling of SilaS Wegg in his
innocent delusion regarding "Our House"
and it's Miss EliZabeth,' master
George" ''Aunt jane and Uncle Par
kerr l found myself baSking IN the
pleasant mySticismS of tOlerative rela-
Tionship. The very wraiths of history
that haunt the valley seemed to come
closer and clearer than though my rela-
tive had not been the first prelate of this
important See. The Isle of Alney, there
in the Severn, where Edmund Ironside
and Canute the Dane, in l0l6, decided u
great war by single combat, was tinted
with the interest OF a remote family in
cident. Tewkesbury, across the valley
yonder, where the house Of ork crushed
the old abbey ran with blood in the
butchery of the adherentS of ill-fated Mar
garet and her murdered bOyprince,
came dreamily within the same gorgeous
setting.
Even the mad antics of Richard Plan
tagenet, who was Duke of Gloucester
tGIoster) and who conferred many hon
Ors and benefits upon the fine city and
shire, took on a more favorable guiSe.
The burning OF Bishop Hooper, hard by
the cathedral gates, paled behind the
1ilIny veil Of his troublOuS times. There
was personal and mourntul interest in
the cortege which bore the body Of muir
dered Edward II. to its resting place in
The mighty cathedral. And, from the
later days, there was waited a spell OF
personal qualification that an Archbishop
of Canterbury and a man like Robert
Rakes, founder OF Sunday-schools, had
grown into their great stature of fame
from out the environment of the slum-
brous, messy town.
Self-gratulation is such wanton jade
and intoxicant that I tramped from the
hills into the old cathedral city in elateC
eXultance, almost meeting the gaze OF
honest Gloucester folk with the eXuber-
ance of eXpectant recognition. There
must have been too easy an air of famiI'
iarity in my aspect and manner, consid
ering that the mud OF the mountain sheer
walks was still on my huge-sOled shoes
1t seemed, in my pleasant frame of mind
as though the landlord Of the humble inn
where L came TO lodge, ought to have
called me by name and come to the doOl
to receive me. Perhaps he had never
heard Of my relative, the Bishop.
But he merely glanced at my trouser!
and shoes. Then Boots showed me K
Il room in the caves. Returning shortly
he presented bill, in advance, as fol
lows: Lodging, one and siXpence; at
tendance, siXpence; candle, three-pence
infp fNXvN nfnH c,i-
pence Paid, with thanks
/ don't think the landlord expected
Boots" to return with the money. Blu
he did, and alive besides. For as de
scended into the little vine-hung inn
yard / noticed, with pain, that the coffee
room maid was gathering together, as i
from basty order the remnants of SOM
other travellers recent meal, one wht
probably had luggage ii no great rela
fives, and, as passed out into the pleas
ant streets OF the leafy old city, wa
SOrely haunted by the reflective querl
whether had that landlord known OF tn
prelate and of the titled folk over il
Shropshire and Wales, he would have lie
me lodge at the little inn at all.
In every other English cathedral tow
/ have visited / have always found
High street. the principal thorough
fare into which all others lead, and frou
which some picturesque wynd or cour
brings you direct to the cathedral close
1t is different III Gloucester. There wa
once famous cross at the very center G
the city. The two main streets OF tn
town intersect each other here. On
running north and south is Northgat
and Southgate to and from the place still
called The Cross.p The other is East
gate and Westgate to and from the sam
spot
All that which is picturesque an
charming from its antiquity, and that
much in Gloucester, viii be found witnil
q distance Of 500 yards from the Cross
upon these interesting thoroughfares. O
in the sleepy old courts leading int
them, always increasing in number an
interest as you approach the Cross
1.-The Rows of Chester viii undoubtedl
be found the greatest number of oddly
constructed, half-tim bered old FliZs
bethan houses OF any provincial city
England.
But here in Gloucester are certainl
more and more winsome individual il
stances. At the corner of Northgat
street and Shakespeare road, where |
jenkins, 'SoleS and Heels Gents shoe
for two and siXpence, and Ladies' at or
and nine," and is also Barber and Ma
uralist," who, with his human various
reminds you strikingly of mr.. Venus
in Mutual FRIEND, is alquainter struc
ure than ever Dickens painted.
a little further up the same street.
No l02, is q huge old building, now tran
formed into foundry, where Sir Wn
Gladstone, father Of the present Liber
leader, formerly carried on a bankir
business, and a fve-pound note of b
issue may still be seen in the GIoucest,
Museum. Just opposite is the most cha
acteristic old inn, entered through hus
arcade, | have yet found in England.
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