Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-08
FOREIGN TRAVEL.
Some Of Its Odd Incidents and
Observations.
WAKEMAN'S WANDERlNGS,
The Lale Lord Tennyson and His Rare PORT
Vine JOhn Cornell The Blind Singer
Of Edinburgh - Good and
Bad Customs.
Copyright 1923. by Edgar L. wakeman)
For The sunday Gazettc)

WI ihhtf 1870 ~ LAsAA f. nahtulhhsl
For The sunday Gazettcl
London, Dec. y, 1902
An eminent German author and myself
visited Farringf0rd House isle Of Wight.
the home ~ the late Lord TcnnysOu, %
later ears, the laureate forgiyably enough,
received this sort OF tribute charity. as DE
hhu somehow become possessed Of the old
suspicion that literary pilgrims sought hi,
cellar. famous for the oldest and choicest
port wine IN England. rather than for or
pQrtunity for worHhipplng 40 the shrine Of
his personality.
We found him among the shrubbcry which
luxuriousy hides the quaint old place. wnn-
ueriug in the vprdure and blossoms ike au
unreasonable 81. Nicholas masgueradug be-
peaih frowsy sl0uch hat lie received as
kindly enough. but with brusqup familiarity,
as though We had been unfortunate ten
0nis coming GAP insist upon rent reductions.
anu led us directly 20 bis study. Tho one
man servant of Tie place instantly up
peared, with the cir OF "a country inn SER
sltor awaiting "a dubious order from ques-
uon9me guests The great poet simply
Hail, Two. with deprecutIug gcgture;
uou0ucl ue 90 a seat upon an ancient lenth-
er-coyercd settle; tossed MS SLOUGH hat into
corner az the study aud sank YEARLY
into MS CupaCiuus easy chair az the study
table. as N about 90 undergo an unpleasant
ordeal.
Tenuyson eyed my German friend with
evident mlgirust until the man servant re-
turied with two bottles " port winc glass
ses for bis visitors. aud q huge duck-rlass
holding az least o pint. for himself. Then
the great man deliberately put an end to
conversation by abruptly declaring that he
fclt unable 90 discuss German philosophy
the glasses toward MS. and held the other
bottle hv the neck as IL fearful II might
somehow disappear. lmpailently motlonmg
u' 20 pnrtnkc he 10 once helped himself 90
good half pint N Wine to which wua
added half as much cold water THIS was
repeated. uutl in 20 hu'f hours time his
own bottle had boon entirely cmptiod We
SAID some plouE0g things ana Cnmc away.
MS German friend was furious; more furi.
ou3 over the quality " the wine that had
hcth served To- uH than the POETS uppur-
emit antiquity io the philosophers OF his
While we were 900 In company together
with few lteury friends Rt Convent
Garden resort, ihc German author indig.
nnnty related the incident The entire
party iuushcd merrlly ut our dlsrumH.
ture. Und One, well known actor, finally
Henry Irving Is the only person who
ever really r1t the best of Lord Tenny on
regarding Ills famous port wine. Hc was
visiting llul about two years since. when
me dessert came on. Che poet loft the table
anu retired TO IBIS study with irving. Here
a botuc of his favorllp p0rt "a glass for
lryirR. ana lhc snmc huge dock-rnss. with
y pitcher 90 Wulcr wg8 sot before him.
I'm Tow minutes Lord Tonnyson ZEN nslccp.
irving gently dlscngaged his hand from
The noe, of the bottle took 10 10 HE own
sue OF the study fable ana lelaurely drank
NY ehiirr c9nirilH before the poet nwOkc
The remainder OF Irvlugs visit was Gigtlp.
gnlshpd by extreme hlgrity on his part
und o. wcll-dcilucl coolutss on the part of
me laureate; but Irving has nlwuys been
eetlNtc over hi' achievement. and Possesses
the extraordinary distinction OF being the
only man living aside from the laureate
hlm.cit who over really drank an entire
hottie OF Lord Tcnuyson's rare old port