The record-union., 1894-02-10
THE OTHER And TOTHER PIPPERCHlRP.

copyright, 1894. All rights reserved
"a pleasant land not fenced with drab
stucco like Tyburnia or Belgravia; not
guarded by large army of footman; not
echoing with noble chariots; not replete
with chintz drawing-rooms and neat tea
tables: land over which hangs all end
less fog, occasioned by much tobacco; a
land of chambers, billiard-rooms, supper
rooms, oysters; a land of song; land
where soda and water flows freely in the
morning; land of tin dish covers from
taverns, and frothing porter; land of
lotus eating with lots of pepper; land
where men call each other by their
Christian names, where many are poor,
where almost all are young, and where,
il a few oldsters do enter, it is because
they have preserved more carefully and
tenderly than other folk their youthful
spirits and the delightful capacity to be
idle"
This was ''the joyous neighborhood Of
Covent Garden" London, as Thackeray
knew it and wrote OF it in his time.
1t is pleasant land to-day, somewhat
fenced roundabout with mighty pillars
from venerable footman, when the din OF
the market and its clamOrouS cOSJer-
mongerS is hushed, 1t is now Oiten star
tied from its drowsineSS by the rolling
OF princely carriages; land still mist
hung with the wreaths OF much tobacco
smoke; still "a land OF chambers, billiard
rooms, supper-rooms, oysters" OF remln-
iscence, OF tale and OF song; land now OF
ancient silver covers from ancient tay-
erns, but still land of humble ale and
trothing porter; land where men stll1
call each other by their Christian names;
where few are poor, where almost all
are old, and where, II few youngsters DO
enter, it is reverentlally and because they
have learned to love the olden spot tor
what it gave to Pepys and Evelyn, to
Dryden, Addison and Steele. to Thack-
cray and to Dickens, and all that noble
and inspired host who gave the world the
best and mellowest literature in our
tongue since the time Of royal Anne.
But the Covent Garden region now is
chiefly a land of olden inns; OF inns IN
which the tireplaces are huge, cavernous
and get-at-able; the chambers warm and
cozy; the halls Iow-ceillnged, but broad
and full OF fine old settles and sofas,
whose smoking-rooms are snug and
warm and cheerful with papers and
books; whose pictures are yellow, old and
dim and hang in great, broad, ODD frames,
before the century came IN, whose din
inp-rooms are ample and quiet and richly
Drowned with comfortable age; whose
ports, ciarets and sherrles have the cob
webs OF the tWenties and thirtles upon
them: whose food is wholesome, line and
good; whose servants are friendly and
''talky" when you wish to get down from
your own pedestal of reserve or austerity
Tor little humanizing patter, and even
whose misses in the Office and bar, and
whose rosy-taced cham bermaidS are not
averse on occasion to a bit of innocent
banter, which, after all, anybody but a
prude, hermit or hypocrite at times
truly enjoys.
one of the Oldest and stateliest of these
ancient inns, built many years ago by the
famous lingo Jones is the SlavistOrk. 1t
preserved IN its polished mahoganies. its
curious old plate, its heavy cut-glaSs de-
canters and glasses the mellow heritage OF
reminiscence of the days OF the three
bottle men of England. There is port
wine flavor, an aroma OF juicy haunches,
q suppeStion of olden cheer, huShed and
restful amplitude, from its brown old
break fast-rooms, its wide paneled dining
room. its snug little supper-rooms where
Prince George used to meet the wits OF
the town. through all its spacious, shin
ing. low-ceilinged nails, its curious and
Intricate passages, past Its large and rest
ful chambers, to Its very topmost dorml-
tories. from which the Surrey hills can be
saan and where the late Sir Michael Bass
always preferred to lodge, for the win
dows omen upon the leads of roof most
convenient for a stroll and smoke, root
which is still as sturdy and strong as
wben laid and loaded in Charles the Sec
ond's reign.
Here came of old and still come the Sir
ROGERS de Coverly of countryside Eng
uara tho UroQt fraOpQlauS of both
continents aired their fine manners be-
fore adoring and conviviaI friends.
Here it was that "boxing- night" festivi-
ties were kept up for generations with
such olden fun and frolic as must have
made the very bones of the ancient burial
place Of the Abbots of Westminster, De-
low The cellars, rattle and clatter IN pro-
test at the sacrilege. Diplomats have
here held secret meetings OF import to
half a dozen European Powers. All the
Arctic and African explorers are found
registered upon its books. Crews OF the
universities, the great lronmasters, mill
owners and architects, the scientists, the
naturalists and the archeologists for more
than century nave gatnereo peneatn lie
hospitable roof.
Proyosts, baillies, prelates, Mayors and
Lord MAYORS, and big men with Dig
schemes to put through Parliament, are
among the wraiths OF its olden guests.
Stout SQuireS and far-deSc6nueu country
Doblemen came here to go it bit IN
London town. Lords of the bench at
Westminster adjourned to the Slavlstork
for kissing steaks and mellow port And
most all came and still come, little,
stately men Of mysterious, silent lives,
nIethoric of pocket and meager OF anato-
NV garrulous and grooming in their
second childhood, loving their CHEEKY old
I1Iace and dwelling in it until death steals
In npon them as peacefully as the moon
. 1irb1 into their chambers, and all, OLD or
vonng. titled or unknown, loving the
liant old hosterly with deeper and
,diaore passionate attachment for its strange
taartnrv-oid record that no guest has
o1-ar seen the CLINT or heard the rustic
of skirts within its gray and moss-grown
walls. .t.o,,.,
.t,.t the fiutter and rustic of skirts are not
thin il. it was not matter for conject-
M.e-l, or concern when old Mr.. Pipperchirp
,!aIted into the Office. followed by a
ehi,l,s steward of Malayan face with an
s1ip adr of the East Indian docks about him,
Zen like a dromedary with oriental
rrs 1"s cages and baskets, and carrying
1,,ifb GREAT effort strong oaken poX Whlcn
cugoested at first glance both munlnenl
chest and mummy, a;.,
Mr.. Pipperchirp held gaudy indian
al handkerchief in one hand and a
ssnntfbox in the other. He was a prlm.
ch old CRntiamaQ OF three