The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-01-12
STORIES OF TENNYSON.
The Stately Old Man Could Unbend o.
Occasion.


Occasion.
An Englishman, writing to London
paper, quotes whimsical little story
told by Tennyson at was, think, in
the year 1885," says this correspondent,
that l was visiting in Lincol nshire,
and my host proposed that we should
call on the Turner's, on the chance of
finding Tennyson there. He had just
arrived few days before, and was,
fortunately, at home. My friend, as a
Lincolnshire man, was already ac-
quainted with him, and began at once
to draw him out. This was no easy
task, for, as he said afterward, 'Tenny-
son is just like sleeping lion, who re-
quires great deal of stirring up before
ne will roar At last, however, the de-
sired roar came The conversation
turned on education and the spread of
scientific knowledge. Yes, said Ten
nyson, it is spreading, and it is crush
ing all the romance and poetry out of
children's lives. 1t was only yesterday
l was walking in the fields with one of
my nephews-a little chap of eight or
ten-when we came to fairy ring.
Look, | said, look here, my boy; here
is fairy ring "A what, uncle?' he
said. Why, fairy ring. The old folks
would tell you that these fairy rings
are so called because the fairies were
dancing here last night %, uncle he
-Heplied, quite gravely, it is we'll known
that these fairy rings, as you call them,
are caused by species of fungus
THE following coincidence" adds
this writer, will at least be considered
curious: A friend of mine, who has
been lifelong student of Tennyson.
at last gained an introduction to him.
His object in doing so was to obtain
from the poet himself an explanation
of certain things hard to be understood
in the In Memoriam,' on which he had
exercised his poor wits in vain for many
a long year. In the course of the con-
versation my friends copy of Tennyson
passed into the poets hands. Turning
over the pages he suddenly exclaimed:
'Whv did you write yarmouth against
this stanza| Because, said my friend,
4 read it there We'll, that is most
extraordinary, was the reply, for l
wrote it there"
Another Englishman relates little
story to prove his assertion that how
over unapproachable in the usual way
Tennyson might be, the stately poet
could, on occasion, nbend. Some years
ago, when Lord (then Mr. Tennyson
used to stay with an old friend in Ham
ilton Terrace, the cloaked and slouched-
halted figure attracted much attention
as hi took his daily constitutional up
and down that broad St Johns Wood
boulevard. So seldom was the laureate
seen in London that there was even
some doubt and speculation among the
residents as to his identity. To the
young ladies, especially, of boarding
school in the ncighborhood, the mys-
terious stranger was the cause of quite
q little fiutter of romantic interest as
they passed him in their daily walk.
One of the day boarders, who re-
sided in the terrace, a young lady
of remarkable self-possession and de-
termined will, warmly debated the
topic of the hour with her father, who
remained incredulous. Confident that
the stranger really was the author of
the ''Idylls of the King" the daughter
declared her intention of asking him
herself to settle the question. Her good
humored parent then laid wager that
she would not dare to beard the lion
coram populo Next day, accordingly,
as the school filed past the poet, this
daring pupil left the ranks before the
Mortified eyes of the lady principal, and,
rushing up to the astonished poet, in
terviewed him on the spot as follows:
"Please would you mind telling me if
you are Mr.. Tennyson?" "What is that
to do with you?" he roughly said 80,
it matters great deal to me. want
to know" This with an air of con-
vincing logic.) What do you want to
know for?" said the bear. "Why, some
people say you are Mr.. Tennyson and
some say you are not, and father bet
me five-pound note | would not ask
you. And now | have asked you, and
whether / am right or not have won
my five pounds" "Well, you are
brave girl and deserve to know. You
may tell your father | am Mr.. Tenny-
son. Chicago Inter Ocean.