New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-22

| n mar the indescribable charm OF its reverend
age. the strange and awful beauty. which no ART
can create and no passion OF homage perpetua'e
! of time and tempest and decay.
! There IS a book at the Grammar School IN
| which visitors may inscrbe their names. the
first name written I'm II Is that OF Charles DickeHs
| Uhe younger. under date of December 6. 1890
The record, from that date until June 1894 Ills
seventy-two Ms. pages. and contains about 1900
| names Among these are Virginia Batemah
Compton and Edward Compton January a. 1s9l,-
the latter noting that this is his birthday: Henry
lanes January Is, 1891: Walter Besant. Otis
Skinner Beerbohm Tree, August %. 1891 James
Fernandez. Fred. Terry. Julia Nelson. isaoeI
Bateman. October %. 1891: Albert II. Smythe
John Arlington Symonds and Lord Honald
Cover. July. 1892 and Stopford a. Brooke. May
S. 1898.
Some popular excitement was caused IN Suat-
ford by the discovery that the oak doors OF the
north porch OF Trinity Church had not only been
removed from their place Ohs was done some
time ago. but had been sold rubbish and for
time this matter theme OF general ana
often acrimonious complaint. The doors had long
been disused, but there they had hung for centu-
ries and there they were.-useess but venerable
and nobody except the Vicar Of Stratford wished
them to be disturbed. Him. however. they Of
Tended az many other antiquities Of the church
had done and by his order they were removed.
The porch is provided with an iron gate or grin.
and the removal Of the doors. which had Tor
wears stood open. served al least to reveal more
clearly the proportions and pecuarities OF Its In
terior There was no complaint, and the doors
might long have rcpos~d. unnoted. among the
rubbish in the wOodshed. but for their Trdden
appearance as a commodity OF sale. That APP
pearance seems to have been precip'tated. not by
,,I,,, oh r1a n
person new in Office and Jealous for neatness and
dispatch There n quantity of refuse WOOD
and stone to be sold; the whole would bring few
shillings: the ancient DOORS ponderous and clum-
sv stood in the way: and SO. with a word, they
were dispatched Such things, doubtless, are
done more in heedlessness than with purpose
The ARREST and most frugal-minded or church-
wardens in Stratford. considering what the town
Is and upon what mainly II thrives. would scarce
" have sold those church doors had he paused
10 reflect that possibly the gaze of Shakespeare
may have rested on them. and that Therefore they
belong the story OF the greatest poet ana pene-
factor Of the world. Sold. all the same 'hey
We're and conveyed away: and but that the mat
ter became public and attracted the attention OF
the Bishop OF Worcester. they would never have
come back mandate from that authority de-
clared the sale invalid: the church-warden was
COMPELLED TO recover the alienated property; ana
those relics Of the collegiate church now once
more repose in the collegiate woodshed The
name Of the church warden who inquired IN 'h's
transaction is HUMPHREYS. To him belongs the
glory on other occasions the hand or spohatioh
has been the hand Of the Wharf.-The Rev. George
Arbuthnot.-a gentleman Of great integrity anu
Of resolute will to whom the ecclesiastical estao-
ushment and not Shakespeare. Is the first consid-
Grafton In this instance the Vicar Is not TO blame
The incident has its significance. though. as
sign Of the temper in which the anairs OF STRAIT
ford Church have long been managed.
The ancient cottage at Wilmecote, In wh'ch
was born Mary Arden the mother OF snake
s,eare has not vet been bought by the corpora
ton Of Stratford but some day perhaps II VIII be-
and then the cluster Of the Shakespeare shr'nes
will be complete The cottage Of Anne Hatha-
way was bought some time ago together with the
old furniture and relies contained In 1.-THE latter
being the property Of Mrs Mary T. Baker. who
stiu resides In the cottage. and. Notwithstanding
innrmities Of age. assists in the genial task OF
showing II 70 visitors. At the Shakespeare bir'h-
place the new cusOdians are Miss Rebecra FLOR
ence Hancock and Miss Marie Louise Hancock
who assumed the office in May. 1893. and VINO
have been remarkably successful In it-'hin.ihg
a difficult duty with patience. grace and tac'. ana
winning the favor Of visitors and the pleased up
prOval Of the borough. Ihe library anu INV So"
eral SUPERVISION remain with Mr.. Richard saw
age that excellent scholar and antiquary. 80 long
associated with the Henley Street cot'agN All the
Shakespeare Trusts are fortunate-and 80 ~ the
public-in the presidency 81 Sir Arthur Hodgson'
Of Clopton. whose vigant zeal IL ureess ana
whose conservative administration tends 10 great
stability The influence Of Charles Edward Flow
er however has been greatly missed ana IN
many WAYS the death Of that excellent man WIS
an affIicton TO s,ratford. from which II VIII not
soon recover His grave Is in the parish ceme-
terv mot in "consecrated ground for ne was
I-nitariasD and over him the grass rpples anu
the flowers bloom In a Wild profsson of beauty
like the good deeds that adorned his benencent
life. and Ike the blessings of love. gratitude ana
honor that cluster round his name W. W.