Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-05-22


thinks he might, by any chance, be
| lionized. Moreover, he seems to have
an utter disregard for conVentionalities
and if at dinner party, for instance. he
does not find his neighbors congenial,
he will manage in most dextrous man
ner, as they place themselves at the table,
to so change his seat as to procure agree
able companions according to his point
of view, even though he utterly frus-
trates the plans and arrangements of his
hostess.
The first day after arriving in Oxford
was taken for walk about the col
leges, and shown the various points of
interest connected with each, my host
himself resident of the college for oyer
thirty years, acting as cicerone. l was
first conducted across the Great Quad to
large open archway in the building,
and passing through found myself be-
meath high groined roof beautifully
carved in fan tracery and supported by
single slender column in the centre
Mounting the broad stairway in front of
us we reached Christ church hall, con-
sidered the most magnificent of all the
halls in Oxford Through the high
Gothic windows there streamed into tie
room flood of soft, mellow light, but
the dark oaken rafters of the richly
carved ceiling high overhead, were
wrapped in shadows and the faces of the
old portraits, which hung on the walls,
could hardly be discerned as they started
with impressive features from out theil
dusky frames. At the far end of the
room, over the tables of the dons, hangs
the well known portrait of King Henry
VIII, by Holbein. There is, however,
another portrait of this king, which,
though not as familiar to the world, is
much more characteristic of the man
and one might almost dare to say is a
more truthful painting. 1t hangs in a
small private council room leading off
from the chapter house, and although
there hangs at the side of the door in
plain sight a large white placard with
the omnibus words, mo stranger ad-
mitted," yet through the kindness of
my gowRed guide and by means of one
of his big iron keys l was allowed to
enter this holy of holles.
1t was merely a medium sized. square
room, rather dark, with large round
table IN the center and number of
chairs about, bnt the walls were covered
with an interesting collection of portraits
of the old Tudors. The picture of the
Bluebeard King hangs directly opposite
the door and is dark and somber with
age; but the cruel CLEAN of the flesh i'm
bedded eye, the bland smile and the
sensuallty and hypocrisy expressed in
the fat, round hands, though they fasci-
nate at first entering by the vividness,
Loon cause one to turn away in loathing
and horror.
Leaving Christ church by the wav of
Peekwater quad and winding in and out
among the labyrinth of old buildings |
across dark, damp court, ana up two |
flights of narrow, steep stairs l was next |
shown into one of the don's private |
suites of apartments.
The sitting room was such a cheerful, |
cosy room. Through the muslin draped |
windows, where the sun poured in with |
dazzling brilliancy compared with the |
shadowy court, below one could see the |
flashing spires and battlemented roofs of |
the college buildings. Around the sides
of the room stood low, we'll filled book |
cases, and, as though there was not |
room at the sides for all this wealth of |
reading matter, another low bookcase |
stood in the middle of the room, divid- |
it as it were into two parts, over the |
bookcases being number of good water |
colors. A bright coal fire burned in the |
open CRATE, in front of which stood a |
large, easy chair, upholstered in leather
and well worn, and beside it small |
table covered with books, papers and |
writing materials; while near at hand |
was another table on which was a silver
tray with an empty teacup and plate of |
toast, showing that the inner man had |
not been forgotten in all this press of |
literary labor. The floor was covered |
with dull, rich rug, and on the mantel
and bookcases stood several rare works
of art and curios, while in one corner l |
caught sight of an old meerschaum and |
a jar of tobacco.
The don himself, in long comfortable
dressing gown and slippered feet, re-
ceived us in courteous fashion, showing
off his bachelor apartments with an air
Of real pride and explaining all his vari-
Ous contrivances for comfort and con-
Venience. The room was evidently that
If man of good taste, culture and liter
iry habits, though when it was limited
hat half the books in the room were the
works of his own busy pen, he laughing
ienied the accusation, assuring me that
ne was the LATEST of mortals, and spent
much more time in the comfortable arm
,hair by the fire, sucking his pipe and
ndulging in the reveries of bachelor,
han in the writing of books or the solv-
ng of deep problems.
A. M. BRAINARD.