Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-12


LoNnoN, Jan. IAN eminent German '
author and myself visited Farringiord /
House, Isle of Wight, the home OF the
late Lord Tennyson, n few mouths before |
the poets DEATH In his later years the |
laureate, forgivably enough, received this
sort of tribute rather charity as he had |
somehow become possessed of the odd |
suspicion that literary pilgrims sought his |
cellar, famous for the oldest and choicest |
port wine il England, rather than for OPP |
portunty for worshipping at the shrine Of |
his personality.
We found him among the shrnbbery |
which luxuriously hides the quaint old |
place, wandering in the verdure and bios. |
SONS like an unreasonable st. Nicholas |,
masquerading beneath Il frowsy SLOUGH
hat. lie received us kindly enough, but
with brusque familiarity; as though we
had been impOrtnnate tenants coming to
insist upon rent reductions, and led us
directly to his study. The one man ser
want of the place instantly appeared, with
the air of u country inn seryltor awaiting a
dubious order from questionable guests.
The great poet simply said, ''rwoW with
q depreCating gesture: motioned us to a
seat upon an ancient leather-covered settle;
tossed his SLOUGH hat into corner of the
study and sank YEARLY into his capacious
easy chair at the study table, as if about to
undergo an unpleasant ordeal.
lennysun eyed my German friend with
evident mistrllst until The man servant re-
turned with two bottles of port wine,
glusses for his visitors, and huge dock
glass, holding at least pint. for himself.
Then the great man deliberately put an
END to conversation by abruptly declaring
that he felt unable To discuss German PHI
lusDphy or American politics; pushed one
bottle and the glasses toward us; and held
the other bottle by the neck as ii fearful
it might somehow disappear. lmpatiently
ne ~ lF.1 nj lal
himself to good half pint Of wine, to
which was added hall as much cold water.
This was repeated, until in Il half hours
time, his own bottle had been entirely
emptied. We said some pleasant things
and came away. My German friend was
furious more furious over the quality of
the wine that h1d been served to us, than
the poets apparent antipathy to the
PHILOSOPHERS of his countTymen. The
same evening in London. while we were
still in company together with few liter
airy friends at Il COvent Garden resort, the
German author Indignantly related the in
cident. The entire party laughed merrily
at our discomforture, and one, we'll
known actor finally said:
Henry Irving is the only person who
ever really got the best of Lord Tennyson
regarding his famous port wine. lie was
visiting him about two years since. When
the dessert came on, the poet left the table
a bottle of his favorite port, a glass for
Irving, and the same huge dOck-glass, with
pitcher of water, was set before him. In
few moments Lord TennysOn fell asleep.
Irving gently disengaved his hand from
the neck of the bottle, took 1t to his own
side of the study table and leisurely drank
its entire contents before the poet awOke
The remainder of lrving's visit was distin-
guished by extreme hilarity on his part
and a well-defimed coolness on the part of
the laureate; but Irving has always been
ecstatic over his achievement, and pos
sesses the extraordinary distinction of
being the only man living, aside from the
laureate himself, who ever really drank
an entire bottle of Lord Tennyson's rare
old port wine.
In foreign travel, as in some other things
we are often the victims of our own
opaqueness or prejudice. In London and
other British cities. the American will
notice little signs at street corners, i'll
crowded, narrow thoroughfares, in park
ways, and all sudden turnings traversed
by vehicles, reading, keep to the Left"
Some years ago when first noticed this
it worried me. wanted TO understand it,
and, like a true American, perhaps pro.
test about it a little. | approacheda Lon.
don policeman with the earnest inquiry:
'Beg pardon, officer but might | ask
why, IN London, everything goes to 10
the lett
Like one of Mrs. Jarleys figures his
head moved stately. He regarded me
one awful, official moment with contempt
uuus pity. His head moved back again
Then with whitening scorn he answered
AN WY in ell shouldn't it?"
! had never thought of that. After OBJ
serving and thinking a little, | saw that
the English are right in keeping to the
left. Drivers being seated at the right
there is absolutely no other way in which
10 utilize every inch of crowded street
In keeping to the right, as with us, nc
driver can safely judge distance, when
meeting and passing other vehicles Here
where the drivers heads practically com,
together over their wheel hubs wher
meeting or passing, far greater speed is Sc
cured; while danger and loss from clash
ny wheels are almost wholly avoided
There is wisdom in describing bad Gus
tom for good one, wherever we may fine
the latter.
There is one custom of the British gen
try and nobility, as old as the Englisl
railway system. which can never, save il
modified way, have its counterpart ever
with the most extensively recent accession
to our American "aristocrucy." That i
for gentleman and his wife to occupy
tirst-class compartment of railway car
riage, apparently tor the better accommC
dation OF their lapdog, while their chill
dren and servants are crowded and bange
about i'll a second or third-clasS cUlnpart
ment of the same train.
Perhaps this custom was never quite $
unpeasantly impressed upon me as whe
returning from London To. York over tn
Great Northern railway. | happened for
time to he the sole occupant of frs
class compartment, and had fallen asleel
Parties had entered unknown to me- and
was awakened, Just us the London sui
urbs were reached by an unusual commC
ton.
A plump English lady, past 40, wit
wild eyes ard long, smooth-slaven uppt
lip, was struggling with the rear portion
tiny, white Porto Rico lap-dGg Oplosii
her, on the same seat, a burly Luglishma
was pleading with the same animal, whic
had set its teeth with much persistent tirn
ness in the tenderest portion of its master
nose.
1t was Young lady dog. Its ringle
had been so sheared ms TO give it the appea
ance of fierce Numidian hon. 1t WI
exceedingly nervous and exclable, and j
master had nagged the creature Derby,
pronounced Darby, IL was called-untll
had retorted by grabbing the pursy gent
nose as though il had been Il rat.
God bless me soul, Darby Dye kno
y'ave me nose quite set between yer prett
little teeth2 Ia quiet tweak by Darby
Darby, dear | say. Darby Darby
there's darling God bless me, but It's
brave girl Another emphatic tweak
Darcy, dear, I've no notion of tearir
away from we, Darby. God bless m
Darby, 'ayent such a thought. Oh, II
pretty creature But, God bless me, VIII
cawn't We sDm'Ow We know, enticc q
beast away I've been very CDul--a