Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-10
APPLE WCshAN HICKS.
A Unique Parsonage Who Pestered Par
Lament For q Long Time.

A Unique Parsonage Who Pestered Par
Lament For a Long Time.
Up to the year 1913 there stood
an old conduit at the east end of the
Serpentine in Hyde park, London,
which had once been connected with
a miniature waterfall. Here an APP
pie woman, Ann Hicks by name,
drove a thriving business in the sale
of apples, gingerbread, nuts and
other comestibles dear to the heart
of the British schoolboy, until her
shelter was demolished and her es-
adjustment reduced to II mere open
stall with Il canvas covering.
But adversely only served to de
velop AIMS great qualities, and she
Immediately became letter writer
of the highest order. She first adj
dressed herself to Lord Lincoln,
then chief commissioner of woods
and forests, stating her hardship
and asking permission to construct
a locker for the safe disposal of her
wares ut pight-a request which
was deemed reasonable and was at
once granted.
Encouraged by her success, she
next made application to be allowed
to build a brick Enclosure, as the
wooden locker was insecure. This,
after some hesitation, was unwill-
ingly conceded, and Ann, whose
Ideas We're evidently OF the most ad.
vanced liberal type, put wide In
depreciation on the permission and
converted the brick Enclosure into a
little room, which had not only a
door, but IL window as we'll.
A third communication stated that
her locker was not large enough.
Might she mako it higher, to give
space for the safe storage Of her
ginger beer bottlesl Again the ap-
plication was successful, though the
height was limited to five feet.
Once more she wrote, this time to
ask permission to repair the roof,
and when the request was granted
it was found that the REPAIRS" in
cluded tho projection of a little
chimney and the construction of a
fireplace, on which Ann performed
culinary operations.
But now she was tsoubled by the
ubiquitous schoolboy, who had the
impertinencc to look in at tho win
dow, so n fifth application was dis,
patched asking leave to put upa few
hurdles to keep him at n respectful
distance. Then the hurdles were
gradually moved outward, and a
small garden was Enclosed, and so
by degree. the white cottage" as
it came to he called, assumed all the
dimensions and Importance of lit
tie estate.
Ann was now in the zenith of her
power but her career, like that of
many another conqueror, was to be
cut short just as her empire was eX-
tending it's bounds and she was be-
ginning to hold undisputed sway.
Evil times were ut hand.
In 1880 preparations were being
made for the great exhibition of the
following year, and an order was is
sued for the removal of all obstruO
tions from the park, tho white cot
tage being included in the list.
But AIMS was not u nature made
to yield without u struggle. She
resolutely refused to move, doubt
less ON the principle that an Eng
lish woman 8 house is her castle, and
her indiscretion even carried her
tho length of departing from the
strict limits OF the truth. Her grand
father--so her story ran--had 100
years before saved George II from q
watery grave in the Serpentine and
had consequently been allowed to
raise a permanent erection in the
park - besides which her cottage
had cost her not less than e13O.
Lord Seymour, then chief CON-
missioner, laid the case before the
Duke Of Wellington, and that con-
queror of conquerors, after investi-
cation. ordered AIMS eviction and
the demolition of her cottage, the
result of seven years concessions
and appropriations.
To southe her wounded feelings,
an allowance was granted her for
~ months, but though our heroine
accepted the solatium she was by no
means satisfied and placarded the
trees and fences OF the park with
NOTICES of her wrongs For months
ahe pestered members OF parliament
with her story, and ut last Mr., Bep-
nal Osborne yielded to her solioita-
tons, and on certain day in July,
1851, the house of commons had the
unique privilege of listening to the
recital of the imaginary wrongs of
an apple woman.
Full explanations were given, and
Ann, after her brief but brilliant
Iareer, vanished from public view
ind passed the remainder of her