Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-03-02

dream Of, and think Of, and never for
get. Even the simple, weird music Of
the bagpipes has . charm that all the
bands Ia Christendom could never In
spire. As they disappear from sight
we recall these lines:
"Oh where! and oh, whcrci is your Highland
Laddic goneS
His bonnet. s.,on green, and his wais'coas Of
And It's Oh inmy heart that love my Highland
| lad"
And we can understand as never be-
fore, how Sco;land's immortal bard
could say, my hearts In the Highlands
wherever go"!
Another strange object we see In the
landscape or streetseape OF London is the
fire company, II you can call 1t that! for
the only object we can see pertaining to
IL, Is a tall, tall ladder, painted red, on
wheels, stationed in the middle Of the
street. We see no horses, and only q
hole 10 the ground where we suppose
they keep them. 1t seems curious that
the fire department 10 this biggest city
in the world IL actually not so good as
In little country town, but they don't
have many flres just the same, which Is
the main consideration.
After about half an hours ride In the
railway train, part Of the time under the
ground aud part OF the time over the
tops Of the houses, which strikes US
as somewhat strange, We arrive at the
Crystal Palace at Sydenham. IL would
take volumes To describe this gigantic
enterprise. The entire building Is OF
glass, and we can't begin to tell you how
many acres Of ground II covers. but the
main hall Is l60s feet long, and there are
innumerable other halls opening In arch
ways from each side Of that. There is
about everything here that there is 10
the earth, sea or sky, or under the earth
reproductions OF sbout all the works
OF art In existence, antiquities, natural
history--eyen the races Of men that you
had no idea ever existed. The effect
| produced by the contrast between the
green foliage OF the plants and the white
forms OF the statuary IL quite pleasing.
Besides all these things there Is great
theatre. a concert hall, and an opera
house, and the powerful organ with
4,3si pipes under this one roof OF glass;
aud we called TO mind the old adage that
"Peopie who live In glass houses must
not throw stones" and came to the con-
clusion that IL would be good advice for
all OF US to follow, for the houses built
OF the more substantial material OF wood
or brick, hare ,cind0,es.
A fine large orchestra plays here every
day, and besides the stationary attrac-
tions they have shows OF various kinds,
Il being Poultry Show at the time OF
our visit: to which we somewhat de-
INJURED about going, thinking We could
see hens enough at home, but hen Is
not such an uninteresting object after
all, especially II 1t can talk, as some OF
these can. We have known certain
species OF that kind to talk too much
though II IL unnecessary TO say that II
was not the common barnyard hen In
either case. This one we see here Is
tropical bird. somewhat resembling the
parrot, though larger, and with long,
dropping, vivid plumsge, and who In
formed US when we accosted her as
.sPretty Polly" that That's not my
name" and when we asS. "what is your
namer' she answers, "Whst's that TO
you?
Outside, the gardens and grounds
cover over two hundred acres, all laid
out In terraces, flower beds with shrub.
berry and trees, and ornamented with
fountains and statuary. IT Is on a very
high hill, and In summer, every evening
they have fireworks and bands OF music,
and Chinese lanterns, and regular
Fourth Of July every night 10 the week.
Returning we call on relatives at
.'Thorlough Lodge" an ideal suburban
English residence standing behind It's
gate-house and high brick walls, In the
midst of It's ivies, laburnums, holly and
laurel bushes. Its simple story OF
strength, and warmth, and shelter, and
hospitality, was evident even before we
entered It's wide open gates and wide
open doors.
How pleasant WAS the 5-oclock tea
drinking iu the old-fashioned drawing
room, with It's glorious open fires at each
end. And "a as we went out again,
across the lawn sloping down to the
gate and the world without, the sense OF
peaceful security Of its Inhabitants con-
trasted forcefully with the busy whirl
outside. And this Is one more thing
about London We like extremely; for
even In the pOpulous part, where II Is
our privilege to be sojourner, We are so
shut away from all noise and confusion
ss almost 10 believe ourselves In the
heart OF the Maine forest, when we lay
US down to sleep, so quiet and peaceful
IL is around.
Our winding journey homeward leads
us by the little churchyard at Norwood,
where sleeps the illustrious divine, c. II.
Spurgeon, whose eloquence, perhaps,
has reached more distance aud touched
more human lives than that OF any other
man who ever lived, for the reason that
his religion was not an aggressive one,
but flled with persussiveness and
compassion.
On returning we find invitations to the
theatre or concert awaiting Us, and rs
We are not particularly interested In
theatres, OF which London has many.
we chose the concert at Albert Hall, the
largest building of the kind In London.
Ii is circular In form, and large enough
to put the Boston Theatre In three times,
and then have slice left over. IL will
accommodate 10000 people, and on this
memorable occasion, when we went, as
we said, to hear PATHS ''last gasp" II
,, was packed to the doors, and PATHS last
gasp was quite gasp after all. People
in America make a joke OF her ''fare-
wells" with which she regales them
about every year, but here she Is a great
favorite and Is always cheered to the
echo; and no wonder, for she is still
wonderful singer, though on the down
ward slope and shady side OF 30. or
course she had to sing "Home, Sweet
Home,, for the million and "steenth"
time, then Robin Adair, and then "Comin'
Thro' the Rye" and people shouted, and
handkerchiefs waved, and withsl the
house was In an uproar Of delight and
applause; which goes to show that the