Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-05
MISS ALLEN IN LONDON.
A Bit of Color on Dreary Background-The
Surprising loneliness Of Kew
Gardens, ~

| London, June 23.-Just across the
strand from where 1 write is big van
piled high with empty strawberry bask-
cts. The driver is not "coster"-that
well defined London specialty-but he is
| grimy and poverty stricken in appear
ance. Just around the corner the Covent
| Garden flower and fruit markets are busy
with their thousands of men and women
and millions of blooms and berries.
My carter has emptied his baskets evil
| IDENTIFY and now sits enthroned amidst
his crates enjoying London sights before
| he goes trembling back to his snarey
| home.
But what engaged my attention was
| his curious investment a few moments
| ago The Strand has motley array of
street vendors-shoe strings whirligigs
| collar buttons and a score more of such
| engaging tribes are thrust constantly be-
| fore pedestrians. But the most conspic-
| uous peddlers are the boys who carry
| around long sticks, to which are attached
| by wires the most brilliant red roses,
constructed of paper.
My carter, fresh from Covent Garden
and its pillows of sweetness, falls in love
| with one of these paper beauties, pays
his ha' penny for IL, and now Tolls back
against his baskets with his tattered
lapel decorated with a brilliant spot of
color.
And a moral will occur to me- but l
shall not write ii down.
| Possibly the little incident attracted me
| because these have been such flower
days with us.
Instead of going to church on Sunday
| we went up the Kew and enjoyed some
| quiet hours in that lovely place. Once
| more l was fascinated by the wonderful
orchids, the Overwhelmingly beautiful ferns
and the palms of that majestic palm
house. The roses do not equal those of
last year; and again we find the rhoden-
drons of the famous promenade just 60
Ing out of bloom. We take our luncheon
at a pretty cottage, half smothered in
fuehsias and ivy, and then, later in the
day, seat ourselves on the grass and
watch the coming and going of London's
working people. Working people-there
is no doubt of that! Nursery maids and
table walters, bmen and shop girls,
pale scroning women and milliners' APP
prentices, all enjoying the beauty of this
royal place. The old palace, the home of
| Queen Elizabeth during the reign of her
| sister, Bloody Mary is not open to the
public, but it stands in it's grounds, the
tall iron palings of which are so light
| that they hardly obscure the view of
| the old-fashioned red brick edifice. The
sun dial still marks the circuit of the orb
| of day, and the Thames still runs hard
| by the landing stairs; but how pregnant
with change to the English nation have
| been the years that lie between the days
of Elizabeth and Victoria-of Cecil, Lord
| Burleigh, and Cecil, Lord Salisbury!
We will go in a few moments to wander
| among the flower stalls of Covent Gar
| den. I have put all my loose pennies
deep.down in my pocket, for do not-in-
| tend to be tempted into buying single
posy. Still l am apprehensve, for my
love of beauty is quite as patent as that
of the carter across the way. He, how
ever, is surfeited with nature and seeks
the artificial, while I-well l am very
sincerely, W. M. A.