The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-07-03

OS pro ts 4 5 II Il
our declaration OF independence.
Fourth OF July orators draw much OF
their inspiration from this old spring
Of English constitutional liberty. II
viii be in keeping with the traditions
OF Independence day TO visit the place
made memorable as the spot where the
great English bill Of rights was
wrested from King John by the bold
and liberty-loving barons. Before
visiting Runnymede, let us take a look
at the neighboring castle 81 King John
and glimpse Of the surrounding coun-
try.
The valley of the Thames boasts OF
but one tall. yoycrhanging cliff, and
rising from this lofty plateau twenty
three miles west Of Londonl the noble
gray walls, pinnaclcs, battlements and
towers of Windsor make up the most
slightly object in the whole landscape
OF England The castle rises from the
wooded cliff, like vision OF enchant-
ment. Its immense range and pic
turesque outline drawn against the
sky recall youths delightful pictures
of fairyland. There is a mile Of castel-
lated wall between the old black cur
few tower at our right and the palace
at our left constituting the state
apartments.
Standing on the roof Of tile great
central round tower Of the old gray
Keep Of Edward Piantagenet, the
browning edifice Of the castle, and
with the scenes around us where poor,
mad George III, deserted by his chill
dren, wandered aiInlessly about with
wild eyes and long white beard, 3D.
wildered and crazed. and knowing moth
Ing except that he was utterly misera-
BILE, Iasked myselfif American Fourth Of
July orators did not let theirpatriotism
run away with them when hurting
fiercest inveetives against the King
Lear of the eighteenth century.
In this country, however, command
ing the prospect. we see little but
landscape; in Europe we see history.
One looked through vista of a thou
sand years III the view from Windsor
castle ON the north side. flowing be-
low the castle cliff, Is the historic
Thames. On its opposite bank Eton
and its famous schools Yonder is
Slough, where, with field glass You
may see the home Of the elder HersheI.
There IS the many-gabled roof Of
Hanpden, whose hero defied q king and
precipitated the English revolution.
Yonder distant spire and grove mark
the scenes Of the sweetest elegiac poem
In the language and the grave OF the.
poet Stoke Pogis
The home park of the castle is
sylvan pleasure ground Of five hundred
acres, ornamented before the queens
apartments with fountains. parterres
Of flowers and statuary The great
park beyond Is fourteen miles in cir
conference, and continuous to that is
windsor forest, having circuit of
fifty miles. But | can hardly restrain
my impatience to be off, as the gov
ernor of the tower directs my gaze to
distant spot seen over the edgebf
the forest and whispers: Funny
mede" ! walked through Windsor
forest to Rnnnymede ] scanned the.
famous meadows with my glass from
the tower, but wanted to andupon
the ground and kick up its very dust
around me, II Is said that Yankee
views everything with an eye to specu-
latlon ! believed ! could prepare a
better Fourth Of July speech after
standing on the spot where Magma
Charta WAS wrested bS Ills barons
from the unwilling hands 81. king
John Walking three ANDY one-half
miles through park and forest direct
lyaway from the river at Windsor. /
struck its banks again and was not
slow p conceive the origin Of the
towns name il this great bow 81 the
winding Thames, or wind shore i
joined here, too, the high road, which
soon turned abruptly away from the
river, and to follow the stream
crossed over a stile in hedge and
was at once upon the soil of Runnv-
mede, a very level meadow spreading
back half a mile to the Surrey hills
and extending couple OF miles along
the river side. Walking half lis
length, | stood opposite Magma Charta
land " called to mark the contipn4
Gus spot on the main land where the
conference took place between John
and his angry barons
Aisfe the lQrds and their retainers
would rendezvous and send word over
70 the castle that they were ready for
business, and il was, business that Al.
\ united Of No DELAY, when King John
was sent FIR that day In June. Ammo
Domini 1918 On the mead around 1ne
We're pitched TIE gay pavilions
Chargers, richly caparisoned carrying
mailed knights, Were praneing about
Or idly feeding upon the meadow grass
/ or fringing the river side at drink
Here stood the bold leaders III conferA
encet awaiting their king. their YIN
terIng arinor telling III earnest Bur.
pose; here the fierce debate ran On far
4 GAYS, and here the trembling monarch
was made to sign the great charter IA
storing the liberties nsurpesd ia tllc.
crown, including the undergraduates g,f
the church, the permanenee 81 tfS
eourtsof justice, the freedom 81 con.
meree- the Writ Of habaas corpus. III II
word the supremacy III English las
: over the English throne. looked
aboutme for a relic, but not for lonyA
Iaking up q handful Of earth. Why.r
SAID % myself, this very dust may
have Sanded Magma Charta.a Ii vas at
least "a part Of Runnymede. and i
bronghtitaway 9. W yAyHoRSE.