Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-31

mullins who fall over each Otner merrily
aud madly in the general scramble
through the. shadowy forest glades.
The entire area of Epping Forest,
to about 5000 acres, which
stretches away to the northeast OF Lon
don on tine western border of Essex,
from Wsnstead to the town of Epping,
a distance of about IL miles, was pub
licly declared "forever free to the
people" by the Queen, who ap.
pearcd at the Forest in person, be-
fore concourse of fully 100000 Lon
doners, on May 9Th, 1889. Since that
time portions of the tract have been
measureabiy beautitied and improved;
but the chief glory of Epping Forest is
in its actual primeyal character. Scarcely
an acre of its surface has ever been
touched by spade or pillow. Old Roman
camps are within it shaded by the self
same trees which clustered about them |
nearly 1000 years ago; and the turf upon |
the earthwork where Boadicea, Queen |
of the Iceni, was defeated by Suetonius,
with 10000 Brtons slain, since it re-
ceived that mighty feast of blood, save
for the prodding of antiquarians, has
never been disturbed
At Chingford, on the western slope of
the Forest, we gave Bolivar as famous
stabling as could be found; left Sprat to
bring on the hampers at seasonable
hour to the woods been Queen Eliza
beth's lodge and Connaught lake and
set out for genuine coster's enjoyment
of the Forest. Back towards London
for several miles we had only seen
patches of woods and coppices to our
right. Here at Chingford the real Forest
begins.
Jem and Becky, already within its ac-
| customed spell, pressed forward to its
heights with increasing speed, out
stretched hands and radiant faces; and
as l saw them far in advance, | could
not but think of the old prints of Pill
grim when his burden fell.
We were at once in the thickest of it,
not of the Forest, but of the mighty
throng. Avenues upon avenues of East
Enders stretched in every direction. 1t
was now after noon, the Saturday half
holiday, joyous, glorious day withal,
and it seemed, that from all ways lead
ing from London and near outlying
towns great tides of humanity came
sweeping on, each one greater than the
one before it, and all finally merging al
the edge of the woods and over the open
spaces in seething masses of motion and
= color. 1t was like the action of incoming
' sea tides breaking upon shallow
shingly beach. No one can understand
/, the complexity, the irrepressibility, thu
+ yastnesS of London holiday crowC
r until the greater portion of these loo, 00l
i or 100000 souls can be seen here at {
r glance moving upon and almost storm
J, ing this ancient Epping Forest en- masse
If Far back as the eye can reach hundred
i upon hundreds of outlandish Esse!
/. shandrydans, as many traps and gigs
Z Whitechapel omnihuses, millers' an
Il butchers carts, brewers vans and co:
# ter's carts, are moving towards yol
If around and between which counties
+ thousands of folk afoot, concenterin
q from highways, from lanes and froi
i. footpaths across the fields, are massed
If seemingly inextricabIe confusion. FL
a an instant there is something like terrt
y in such scene. | cannot tell why, bl
as in it and through it, again saw what
in looked upon, all but 80 years ago, whe
r. Sherman's cruel edict emptied Allan
rs of all its people, and left their homes
ne flames.
nv But those were faces set and whit
3. these, bright and rubicund and broi
rs with endless smiles. And in this +
o. spect your London "outers" differs fro
he all other folk on earth. No matt
q, whether he be great or humble, t
III moment his face is turned towards t
On fields or the sea heis bundle of quivt
ing sympathies, responsive in kind
ost every form of mirth, to the most vag;
90 GUS incident or accident of situation
| nd friu haRl IN, h11tn 6r
/ a fold every kindly look that nature C
an bestow. He may be rough and uncor
ali in what he says and does, but he |
sle left all care behind, and makes in eve
ers moment of his holiday hours, even
IAN for unctious mtrth and hearty cheer.
il. What are the amusements of this v
NV army of men and women and lads a
- lasses? Chiefly in wallowing, ant
ar y use the expression literally, in the s
inc and shade of Epping Forest Thousa
chi upon thousands have brought til
Oil hampers or baskets as we have dc
I in Then i'll great splatches of color, Il
ion group and heap themselves in wriggi
1ers punches Of enjoyment over field, Vi
h of brae, in cool recess, in shady aver
qgv upon grassy meadow, in deep W
l
and Gent Forest turf and SOIL They "
.ded der and stroll and leap and race,
on shout and sing and dance, and t
lent hand-springs and somersaults,
" to cavort and pirouette aud act like
ned mad folk, just as they do at Hamps
aist. Heath, while the bands roar and
t of crowds halloa, and mounted ponce
dom Forest verderers look on with bel
~ haT roi nj n
III a stralnable enjoyment. Turn where
/, the may, from CAIngiora SIX miles mort
we're Epping, or from Beak Hill three II
ID SO east to Loughton, the same WIG SC
ions of physical and mental abandon
inns. citation are repeated. Ten thou
nj Of children are chasing butterflies like
,aue ultant naturalists. More than ten til
ltion and lads are swinging from hawt
! the limbs, shouting from the clumped
,,s al of pollard oaks, or routing the
eers from loftiest hornbeam branches; '
.rrnn the surface of every lake and pc
serts shut from sight by thousands more
II hIs ing among lilies and reeds, or flo
v he. in boats upon their surface.
fling In great open spaces every mann
WITH game and diversion known to I'm
broke fields, or streets, or holiday resol
MS proceeding III perleCt peulah ol
5most ing from the touters and managers
lurch vast collection of Vanity Fairs.
each will see skittles, football, CT
assure wrestling and putting-the-stone.
# our glorious Punch and Judy are I
;oach- present and screamingly witty
rning, hilarious Donkeys by the thou
pairs, and screws by the hundreds are
buted for uproarious riding and racing.
then 1t is saying little for Jem and /