The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-23
The Right OF Way.

This is a true story. and one that IS
intended TO illustrate a characteristic of
the English people. It shows, / think. 70
what lengths an Englishman will go 70
gain his rights when an American would
say, "Oh. what is the use?" or" Never
mind One Of the reasons England IS
such comfortable place in which 10 live
is due to the fact that the English peo-
pie have this peculiar habit Of fighting for
their rights by letters TO the Times, or
by taking the numbers Of cabmen ana
policemen and appearing against them in
the morning, or by sending War-ships into
strar ge harbors where the window-panes
or some English merchants have been
smashed. If there were elevated roads in
London, the clerk who lives in KensingtOn
would not hang and swing from n strap
on his way TO and from the city He
would see that he was given the seat for
which he had paid The American is too
busy and too good-natured to fight for his
rights, so he continues TO stand from Rec
tor street TO Harlem, and to walk over
unclean streets, and sees the beautiful
green park at the Battery taken from him
ana tCrLed into a railroad terminus. lie
VIII learn, in time, that the reason the
Englishman has better roads and bette
streets and better protection for his Efc
and property is because he makes
Kick about it," and protests and grovla
ana Is generally disagreeable until ho gets
what he wants. GOOd-nature is not al
ways virtue. and sometimes the easy
going person is a very selfish one too
Equally strong with his desire TO- have ht
rights is the Englishmans Difference 10
the rights Of others. He shows this defer
ence by respecting the English law, which
makes those rights good. There was
young woman I'm England who told me
That she and seven or EIGHT other voune
people had tramped in single file through
a gentleman's dining-rOom one evening.
while he and his guests were at dinner
in order TO establish a right Of way Tho
Englishman had built his house on a mea-
dow directly across a pathway that had
been used for centuries, and once a year
the young people Of the neighboring /
estates marched across his lawn, and up
his stairs, and through his house. I'm order |
That he should remember that the right |
OF way still existed. She was an exceed |
ingly shy and well-bred young person. and |
OF family quite as old as the right Of /
way, but il apparently did not strike her 4
mat she was rude In tramping through a |
strangers house, or. indeed that she was |
doing anything but a public duty. And |
the interesting point Of the story TO me |
was that the English householder instead /
OF getting Winchester and driving the
Young trespassers of of his lawn. sbouId
have had so full an appreciation of their
Tlsht to question his right that he simply
oit his lips and went TO law about IL
There was an Irshman i'm the Same
county who lived I'm a small cottage on am
estate and who was i'm the habit Of
'rossiug from il to another through the
gateway OF a very distinguished and noble
Gentleman lie had done this for twenty
ears, and when the noble gentleman
anne into some more money and hung two
me IRON Gates between the posts the
rlsh laborer took a crowbar and broke
ne hinges on which they hung. and
Ihmped over them on his way. He was
'ut IN jail for this for a month. az the
M OF which time he went after his crow
ar and tore the gates down again. When
ne had been In jail five times In six
months the people round about tool- nm
us case, and the right Of wav was do
lared just one, and the gates came
Iown forever. The EnClishman win ca
arther than this he Will not only aebt
OF MS rights. but he viii fight for soro
lher mans rights he Will go out OF his
Odu 10 tramp through a gentleman's uro-
- sIhpig because the people Jan the
eighborhood are disputing for riobt ~
'ay with him. l heard Of three voun,
arristers when I was I'm London WIZ
'ent on walking tour and who laid out
lelr route entirely with the purpose iu
&c" OF taxing in all the disputed rights
way IN the counties through which
icy passed and who cheerfully secrihced
leihseiVes Tor the good OF other bv 7
'rclng their way into houses and aorose y
Nate grounds and by tearing down
Weekly v