Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-11-21
CROKER In ENGLAND
HIS TOME ONE OF THE IDYLLIC
MANoR HOUSES.
1t is Now Model Country House
Surrounded by Orchards. Gar
dens and Lawns:

OWING to Richard CrOaors connection
with il t5ar it has become a place o
historic interest to the world, indeed il
awavg bias been, for it is said that Al
fred Gc Great was born there.
Wautaae is a very small town. in
decd. even as towns 20 in England
ana 10 ia as old us the hills as they say
uualrl and commonplace as any mar
kci town of four thousand inhabitants
whose chief ambition is to mj.ElifacturC
,ho best Agricultural impleuM nts and
make the best market price: for The
corn grown by the local farms's in the
rich CaWy soil surrounding il
Mr. C.lkCr'S abode at Want~g &c is an
ordinary country manor house, dating
back 70 the fourteenth or fifteenth sem
tuyy known as the Moat House or
NOattd Grange. on account Of being dis
tiuGuiahcd By once having had moat
trnubd IT,
These moats. which were originally
intended as a means df defense against
bcsieEcrs have in most eases now been
closed No as they were flied with what
generally was stagnant water often COW
cred by a thick green slime and not
in any way regarded with favor by
Boards Of Health
The atmosphere OF the old place is
stepped with medieyalism and antiqui-
~ and il is q pleasant place 10 live in
IN modern conycnicnccs
The STARK lcahess arms Of a giant
water oak once the pride of the shrub
berry around the house bends It's arms
pfuGctiugiy yet over the farm yard
attachment which occupies one end Of
he grounds
IN tic mont Of the house is a con
scrvaiury which ig usually filed with
choirc flowers Of the old-world order,
-ucH as gtTanjams potunas. yerbonas,
stocks paurllias, lilies. hot house roses
and "a few tropical eyprgrceus just
vha. oaC sees everywhere in the con
sls J..ta connected with the ances-
rral aumDs
From thc 'front.' door stretches out
broad driveway, lined with shrubs,
lawns auLfDQwer beds. leading down
10 the doa9 from the charming old
country rdlla which winds up from
Vantage town
Tho driveway Is erayeled. as are the
rootwalka while the lawns are kept care
tally muWn aud everything around the
house bcspcaks the decorum and trim
ness which characteriHes 4 well order
ed English manor house
10 the right Of the house is another
lawn where tennis and other outdoor
games can he enjoyed This lawn reach
cs 10 The edge of an orchard such as
c0u be- found IN the southern counties
ui England. Berkshire, Deyonshirc. Dor
set Somerset or Kent. II Is Il place
dear to the coutemplative mind, such
ono doubtless as that in which Sir
lstc Newton ruminated over the fall
ing apple and discovered one of the
great principles OF the universe grayi-
~.
But therc II food for the body as
Won as the mind in this orchard of Ny,
CroNer'S such pippins, such jennettirgs,
such russets. such doctor harveys such
p,armains and other delectable old
fashioned varieties of the English APP
pie that ones mouth waters TO think of
them But that is not all There are
cherry trees, grrengage trees pear trees,
ttamsuu trees, and trained To the tall
red brick wall which separates the or
hare from the vegetable garden di-
rectly in the rear of the house are peach
trees, apricot trees wall pear trees and
vines which in season hear both black
aud white varieties of the grape
And this kitchen garden in the rear
IF thr house. let is have a moment of
oar attention It is solacc 10 the eve,
a suggestion TO the stomach. "A thing
II beauty as we'll as use Such cab
bages' such artchokes, such regular
ruws OF Eooschorry and curant bushes
such strawberry and onion beds, such
celery bank and between the beds
such neat gravel walk framed by
uch a neat box hcdge-a box hedge
which has taken centuries to grow
Perhaps ii was this box hedge that
tempted Richard Croker TO pay $50 00o
for the Moatcd Grange. He knew that
he could import no such box hedge
into America
II is obvious that MIR Croker takes
as much pains in selecting his garden
'rs as h" does IN choosing his captains
general He has been six years a ten
ANT here and every tree and shrub i'm
thr garden shows the result Of every
WEAR OF the six
h is said that Mr. Croker Is nearly
vegetarian and that he takes great
pride iu this Kitchen garden as he does
ALSO, IN the orchard. for although Mr.
Cooker is mo- tippltr aud In the gildea
EAR room ~ his Democratic Club doth
never take % smilc thu old cider that
p, found iU sonic barrels. slowed away
~.yn George the Nuurhs time. iu The
.t|Hf- hrloV tho manor housr has cape
Ugad b}e palate That cider was made
um apples grown ON trees still stand
.@ 3u tN. Hu-n0Isrnf Ola orchard