The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-08-19

the thousands and screws by the hum
dreds are here for uproarious riding and
racing.
The three-card-monte game is every
where. ck-'em-down by the hum
dreds, with their crashing and bawling
and shouts OF defeat and victory, are all
the way from Wanstead to Epping.
American shooting saloons are quite as
frequent and we'll patronized. The artiti-
clal pigeon whirls and flies from scores
OF booths and the detonatiOns of the shoot
ing are incessant. There are more than
thousand of my old gypsy friends in all
manner of picturesque apparel, flying
thelr 'dukkering" among the good-na-
tured "Arrys and 'Arriets. Mingled with
ali this and these are the shouts and cries
OF every manner of fakir from every land
beneath the sun; the brayings of hum
qreds OF open-air speakers, who, as at
hyde Park, lnveigh against the very lib
erty that gives them opportunity Tor de-
nunclatlon; and, louder and more dis
cordant than all else, the whalings and
explorations of the Salvationists; the bar
barrie clamor oftheir tambourines, flies and
drums. persistent reminder of pence
pulling and repentance.
1t is saying little for Jem and Becky
and myself, to assert that we participated
fully in the eXhilarating diversions of
Epplng Forest. Then, the envied of
many eyes, we partook of our glorious
repast beneath the very shade OF Queen
EIlzabeth's hunting lodge, quaint, old
and lofty half-timbered structure, which
has been beautifully restored, where
faithful Sprat landed our hampers victo-
rlously after a many bravely resisted
siege; snd then, the enVied thousands
sun, as the sole occupants of a White
chapel bus, we were driven in noble
style about the Forest away to Epping,
once famous for its sausage, pork and
cheese; to Monks Wood and the pollard
oaks; to the old British Camp at mbres-
bury Banks; to Hawk Wood Hill and its
famous oDelisk, and to High Beach,
nearly 500 feet above London, where al
most the entire fringe of Epping Forest,
with its wOndrous historic interest, lies
clear and fair below.
! The old-world valley of the River Lea,
scene of WaltCn'S earliest angling days
and OF the incidents of the 'Angler'' is
beneath you to the west. Miles TO the
north and south are its snug villages, it's
lvled churches, its half-hid, stately halls.
Just here beside you is Beech Hill House,
/ where Tennyson wrote the Talking
Oak' and "Locksley Hall" Far to the
| west are the upiands OF the Cambridge
shire mills. Between, a slumberous val
ley, with an ideal English landscape. In
/ its center stands ancient Waltham \ bbey,
mourntul and pathetic, reminder Of a de-
] parted day and time of Harold and his
/ laNlShed treasures, and of his march to
| Hastings to meet fierce William of Nor
mandy. Nearer still lies Copper Hall,
where, in the early reign of Edward vi,
! Princess Mary was held prisoner, and at
/ Fair Mead House beyond, the gentle poet
| Clare was brought a mental wreck.
Back at Chingford, as the sun was set
! ting behind the Hampstead hills, all the
converging ways to London seemed
dense with a routed army in its flight
! Bolivar was impatient to overtake the
disappearing host. Right merrily we had
come to Epping, but merrier still we re-
turned TO grimy London, racing and
! singing in humble coster fashion all the
| too short way. When we ratified into
welcoming Bell Lane, and Bolivar came
TO a sudden bolt before our own habita-
ton, Jem and myself, in pleasant con-
verse, were alone upon the box" Sprat
and Becky were a confused heap of over
! grown attire, soiled velvet and Struggling
coster feathers in the bottom of the cart.
But when we pulled Becky out and stood
her upon her ample legs within the door
way, all the pleasures of the day seemed
to steal softly again into her sunny coster
nature, and as reward for our gallant
outing ways she clapped us both. Jem
and |, soundly on our backs with her
broad, honest hands and softly muir
INJURED:
''Gor bli me, lads, Hi never lad sech a
enjoy ble-sech a hiniormin' m enjoy
BILE time-never. Cor bli mo, eli Hi didp'
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.