Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-01-19

| by their uncle, ktCnar0 Ill, IN l4SJ, are
entOmbed in small sarcophagus In .
niche In the wall. The remains OF one
of the old kings were disInterred recent
" and found to be IN good state Of
preservation, after about 200 years.
One room contained what Is left Of some
curious wax efflgies used at the funerals
0f persons buried In the Abbey, one OF
Queen Elizabeth and several others. II
was custom Of those days TO have .
wax figure Of deceased exhibited at the
funeral. Here also we see the old cor0-
nation chair Of oak, made in l272, which
contains the famous stone Of Scone, the
emblem Of the power Of Scottish princes,
and traditionally said to be the one used
by the Patriarch Jacob for pillow.
Also the new coronation chair made 10
1854 for Queen Mary, and In which every
English monarch has been crowned since
that time.
Back of each of these chapels Is little
small, dark room, with few seats, and
notice says, "Do not speak aloud or
disturb this place OF silent prayer"
They have service here several times
each day, aud the afternoon service had
already begun while we fingered amid
the dim aisles; so we sat down In one Of
the seats, not knowing whose ashes re-
posed beneath US. The swelling Of the
organ through these lofty dome-like
arches was solemnly grand. The choir
IL a chapel by itself, where the white
robed choir-boys and men sit and chant
the responses In the solemn monotonous
tone, always at the same pitch.
The only thing that broke the spell Of
solemnity and awe pervading the place,
was the giddy, CANDY, "gay and festive
plumage OF the women who sat In the
choir, which seemed very much out of
place, for we could not make II seem
like anything but obsequies over the
illustrious dead lying all around us, but
whose souls are marching on.
Evidently this Is not fashionable
church, for the congregation consisted
entirely OF the poor, the blind, the lame
aud the halt, the consumptlve and the
otherwise unfortunate. One woman Sit
| ting near was In the last stages OF that
wasting disease, another without sight,
another hideously deformcd, another a
dwarf, and young man, almost help
less cripple, but with the face OF one Of
Raphaei's angels.
lnterment within the walls OF West
minister Abbey is considered the greatest
honor the nation can bestow on the most
deserving OF her offspring. The exterior
Is most impressive, though black with
the smoke and dust OF ages. The pres
ent building was built In the 18th cent
ury.
We will now cast our last, long, lin-
gering look upon this citadel OF the dead
this resting place Of warriors, who
have conquered Life, but been vauquish-
ed at last by Death, though even the
grim destroyer could not conquer their
immortality-and wend our way to ST.
Paul's Cathedral, the most prominent
building in all London. II was built In
6lO0 and Il the third largest church 10
the world, st. Peters at Rome, and the
cathedral OF Milan only, surprising It..
Ii Is 500 feet In length, and the msjestic
dome Is the finest In the world. IL con-
tsins n fine peal Of bells, and the largest
bell In England, weighing more than l6
tons. The interior Is imposing from the
beauty and vastness Of Its proportions.
II would be useless to attempt to de-
scribe the decorations and embellish.
ments, the massive pillars, gliding,
mosaics and stained glass. The organ,
which IA the finest in Great Britain, IL
divided into two parts, one on each side
OF the choir with connecting machinery
under the floor. The builder used some
OF the pipes Of the old organ, which
dated back to 1884.
Many noted people are buried In this
church, as well as the Abbey, and We
can here 90 down into the vaults under
the church, the flooring Of which con-
sists of memorial slabs Of those who are
buried beneath, among them Landseer
and Turner, the great artists, and Sir
Christopher Wren, the architect OF this
magnificent editce, rs well as every
other celebrated building In London.
But the most interesting Of all is the
Whispering Gallery, which Is the interior
Of the great dome, reached by n flight OF
260 steps, and so called from the remark
able and curious echo. You can scarcely
believe II possible that you could 10 any
place, hear distinctly the falntest whis-
per, more than 100 feet away. but such
IA the fact; for rs our guide--an old
man who has spent his life here whisper
ing TO people 80 long that his own voice
his grown to be whlsper-2oes to the
opposite side Of the circle and puts his
lips to the wall, and We put our ear TO
the wall on our side, We distinctly hear
every word he says, n distance OF l6O
feet around the half circle, aud los feet
In a straight line. There are fine paint
ings on the ceilings done by great artists.
Another celebrated church Is St.
Sepulchre's, with Il, square tower where
a knell 10 tOlled on the occasion OF an
execution at Newgate. At one time a
nosegay was presented at this church TO
every victim on his way to Tyburn to be
executed. In this church lies the body
OF gallant Capt. John Smith, died 1881.
The first line Of the epitaph, now almost
iilegible, Is,
"Here lies one conquerd, that hath conquered
Kings."
The church Of st. Bartholomew the
Great Is the oldest In London, with the
exception Of the chapel In the tower.
Connected with It is Sc. Bartholomew
Hospital, founded In 100, aud the medi-
cal school Is famous, numbering among
It's teachers Harvey, the discOverer OF
the circulation OF the blood.
Other celebrated churches are the
church OF st. Mary-le-BOw, or Bow
Church, as 1t Is called now, st. Mar
garet's, Chelsea Cid Church, and st.
Savlor's, In each Of which some celeb
rites are buried.
And now that we have visited all the
famous churches Of London, surely we
ught to be good, forever after!
MARTHA MAXIM.
| Almost =