The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1893-01-19
STOKES or TENnYsoN.

STORIES or TENNYsoN.
Tho Stately Old Nan Could Unbena o.
Occasion.
An Englishman, writing to y London
paper, quotes a whimsical little story
told by Tennyson. 1T was, think. in
the year 1885, says this correspondent,
that I was visiting in Lincolnshire,
md 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 q
Lincolnshire man, was already &C
quainted with him, aud 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
he will roar At last, however, the de.
sired roar came. The conversation
turnetkon 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. It was only yesterday
was walking in the fields with one of
my nephews-a little chap of eight or
ten-when we came to q fairy ring.
Look said. look here. my boy; here
is q 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
replied, quite glavely, it is we'll known
that these fairy rings, as you call them,
are caused by a species of fungus
''The following coincidence" adds
this writer, twill at least be considered
. curious: a frient of mine, who has
been lifelong student of Tennyson,
at last gained an introduction to him.
His object in doing 80 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:
why did you write 'Barmou tn against
this stanza?' Because, said my friend,
I read it there We'll, that is most
extraordinary was the reply, for
wrote it there"
Another Engltshman relates little
story to prove his assertion that how
over unapproachable in the usual way
Tennyson might be, the stately poet
could, on occasic n, unbend. Some years
ago. when Lord (then Mr.) Tennvson
used to stay with an old friend in Ham.
i ilton Terrace, the cloaked and slouched-
hated figure attracted much attention
as he took his daily constitutional up
and down that broad St Johns Wood
boulevard. So seldom was the laureate
some doubt and speculation among the
residents as to his identity. To the
young ladies, especially, of boarding
school in the neigh borhood, the mys-
ferrous stranger was the cause of quite
little futter of romantic interest as
they passed him in their daily walk.
One of the day boarders, who re-
sided in the terrace, 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 "ldylIs of the King" the daughter
declared her intention of asking him
herself to settle the question. Her COOL
humored parent then laid a 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 astonlshed poet, in
tervewed 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. 20
it matters a great deal to me. want
to know" This with an air of con-
vincing logic.) "What do you want tc
know for?' said the bear. 'Why, some
people say you are Mr.. Tennyson and
some say you are not, and father BET
me fve-pound note would not ask
you. And now have asked you, and
whether I am right or not have won
my five pounds" "Well, you are a
brave girl and deserve to know. You
may tell your father am Mr.. Tenny'
son."-Chicago Inter Ocean.