Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-01-27

The Biz Ensl,-hman Who Enabled
Young American lady to See.
Among the Spectators friends is q
Scotchman who came to this country
young prosperod here. married here
but has often visited the old country.
making III AL nearly hundred voy-
ages. One Of these voyages was
made in 1851 with mis- young wife.
That was the year OF the great worlds
fair when the Crystal palace dazzled
the eyes OF the visitors whose wonder
ful tales spread the marvel far and
vide. When the Spectator friend
reached London all OF the talk was
of the coming opening Of the Crystal
palace. The royalties were 10 be
there in great force. TO say nothing Of
nere &c tebrities.
The gentleman himself had seen
all this sort OF thing before. inrlud-
ing the royalties. But his young
wife had not. and Il great thing it
would be TO her American eyes. The
price was rather steep My those
were adj ted who held season tick
cts and season tickle. 5 cost something
like $50. 1t seemed = big price to
pay for single sight OF even so I'M
usual show. but the Spectators
friend was determined that his wife
should not lose the chance-it might
never come to her again. SC he
bought ticket and sent her on open
ing day to the Crystal palace with
some English friends. Great was the
crowd. and the young American
woman was person Of unlucky short
ness Of stature Iiptoe her best. she
could not see thing over the mass
of heads. all turned in one direction.
The procession o, royalte swept IN,
but it was not for her. Bitter tears
OF disappointment Tiled her eyes that
after so much cost ANA trouble she
was to be completely baked
A big Engiishman stood near her.
with The kindlicot of eyes. lie saw
it all at Il glance Permit NO. mad
am the EnglIshman said and with
his strong hands he encircled her
waist and lifted her up above the
heads OF everybody. as easily as if
she had been Il little girl He held
her there quite time his arms not
seeming to know d tired feeling, tell
ing her who every body was royalties
, and celebrities alike. When he at
last put her down she had had a much
better view than three fourth5 of the
tall people who were present. In re-
ply to her thanks he simply said:
, ut IS always a special pleasure TO do
q favor for an American She was
sure be was himself distinguished,
but the friends who were with her did
not know him. She described him 10
all the English people whom she met
but could get no clue to his identity.
So she came back to America i1uor-
ant who the kind hearted English.
man was.
Some years after. in Brooklyn she
went with her husband 10 Plymouth
church to hear Il lecture by cello
brated Englishman says The Chris
tian Union. 1 he moment he APP
peared on the stage she turned to her
husband and exclaimed: That's he!
that's my Crystal palace English
man" 1t was Thackcray. After the
lecture the husband and vile had the
pleasure Of meeting him, again
ack acknowledging their obligations. and
entertaining him ut their own home.
Somehow The incident struck the Spec
tator 80 Just the sort of unique kind
illness one would expect from lhack-
cray. 1t has in a way justified him
in his feeling that you can tell some
thing about an author from his books.