The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-05-15

cnordl seiNloo dO JIG CdUneQral. There
certainly is a never to be forgotten sensa-
ton on entering for the first time an
English Cathedral; and when the first is
also one of the Oldest it brings to mind
many a forgotten bit of history. The
chancel was beautifully decorated with
spring flowers, and while looking at the
mosaics and carvings, the organ softly
sang, and far off we heard what seemed
like angel voices Nearer they came, and
as we rose to our feet the supplied choir
passed, triumphantly chanting Christ s
resurrection. As the familiar words of
the service fell ON our ears, our hearts
throbbed, and we felt that we were no
longer aliens, strangers, but that we were
one family in the house of God. Before
service we read many of the old tablets,
one of which we copied, thinking it
might prove valuable hint to home
parishes: Reader, here lies one who
left chasm, if possessed of ample means
you would do well to occupy it," Ches-
ter is charming, the quaint buildings,
the narrow streets are so foreign. The
street, are somewhat higher, reached by
four or five steps, the passageway entirely
covered overhead, making a shield from
the sun and rain. We asked SO many
questions that we naturally explained
that we were Americans, even specifying
Portland, Maine. "Ah, yes,' replied the
polite clerk, 'from Maine, adding with
such conviction that we had not the heart
to correct him-''that's on the Pacific
coast; we have many visitors from
Maine.''
Tuesday morning we took the most
memorable walk of our lives. 1t is not
an every day experience to stand on a
foundation laid nearly two thousand
years ago, and look on the same land and
sky on which "great Caesar gazed.
Nearly opposite the Grosvenor are set Of
worn steps leading to the city wall, and
the two miles around the wall are crowd
ed with interesting sights. This wall
must be an incentive to people to keep
their backyards "swept and garnished d,
for with few exceptions they We're ex
quisitely neat and pretty; with trim
flower beds, and English ivy covering the
houses, on whose tops are countless CHM
ney pots. Such views as we had of the
Welsh mountains in the distance-the
broad green fields, the river Dee, and
nearer, the streets, that hardly seemed
broad enough to allow the passing of
the tiny carts, drawn by the much ma
ligned donkey. We forgot we were not
in Portland, and leaning over the wall
besought small boy to desist beating
his poor little animal (Which, truth to tell,
the small beast did not seem to mind),
but with a surprised stare the boy con-
tinued, and we, instead of the donkey,
were left moaning. We were fortunate
to have bright sunlight when we took our
seats on the small steamer that was to
carry us up the river Dee for our first
glimpse of Eaton Hall. The entire way
is one lovely picture of greenfelds, fruit
trees in full bloom, old fashioned inns,
beautiful country Seats and on one side
OF the river grassy path along which
wandered many Darbys and Joans sshand
in arn;" while small boys rolled down
the green hillside. and little children
picked violets and daisies. 1t was proba-
bly, out of compliment to the American
party that the small orchestra on board,
consisting of harp and violin, played
Liberty Bells" We felt that everything
was ours, and would hardly have been
surprised if the Duke of Westminster,
1a+o
horses and invited us into the castle.
Owing to the Dukes courtesy, which he
extends to all tourists, we walked through,
the beautiful grounds, then rested in a.
pretty little tea house ON the banks of the
Dee waiting for the return boat to come
up. In the meantime shower came I'D
ahead of the boat, and our return to
Chester was under a cloud Certainly it
proved SO to one poor woman who was on
pleasure BENT" accompanied by several
relatives. She weighed about two hun
dred, and while hurrying down the hill
for the steamer-the rain was falling
fast, the mud was black, and oh, so slip
pery-she missed her footing, down she
went her friends helped her to her feet,
on they fed; and still the rain fell, MAX
ing more black mud the woman Slipped
again just as she reached the landing, and
never did we behold such sight She
was extremely well dressed in the begin
ming, but after the second tumble she was
literally clothed in mud; both boots were
encased in it, it lay in hillocks on her
wrap. 1t was excruciatingly funny.
The friends roared, the passengers smiled
audibly, while the woman herself be-
haved like saint-appreciating the stu
alton and laughing with us. Her gar
ments We're first scraped, then dried and
busted, so that when we reached Chester
she looked fairly respectable. We had oft
ten heard that it rained easily in Eng
land, but such gentle, persistent, never
let go, rain was totally different from
our aggressive American rains You
realized that although it might cease for
moment it would soon begin again,
and continue till the last drop was down.