The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-15
RURAL WINTER DIVERSIONS
T:ANQUETs AND MERRYMAKINGs
{ MARK THE FLIGHT OF TINE.
An Occasional Concert Supplies Va
Room and the Public House.

for breath Of country life is delightful
enough at any time. but at this period.
SITTER weeks Of record breaking fog, one
can only liken !such a transition to what a
ttste Of heaven might be after thousand
YEARS or so IN the other place the preach
esrs used TO tell US about II would seem,
10y the way, as though the very old Nick
himself were in these awful London fogs,
Tor no sooner did the County Council join
hands with the meteorological office In
seeking to overcome them than they in
creased in mallgnity a thousand fold. And
isn't this I'm harmony with what we have
always heard about his Satanic Majesty?
IL he be the prince of the power of the
air, as the Bible teaches, and If 1t be true
Of him that upon occasions of special an
fagonism he puts forth special efforts,
Sne churches say he does, to maintain his
Supremacy. what more could be needed TO
tlentify him with the awful plague which
ia the last few weeks, far more than in
.lany years before, has made life so in
solerahle to the 100000 unfortunates who
Save been trying to exist during that time.
sut have surely not lived, in the great
sity which. though it is already called the
snodern Babylon, will hereafter, in the
judgment of a good many people. be ade-
suately described only when it is spoken
Af as Dante's inferno.
. II seemed so strange TO get good view
af the sky again. Very kind was nature
that first evening of our release from the
Bricks and chimney-tops and SCOT and in
Eernal blackness of London, for after the
SUN had sunk maJestically into his purple
bed, she had a special conjunction of Jupi-
ter and Saturn TO show US. and 1t wasn't
long until, from the opposite horizon, she
brought out full moon for our entertain
lnent. One seldom sees such sights in
London. In fact they are never to be
seen there so clearly as in the country or
In anything like so delightful a setting.
The full moon beams upon from behind
the steeple OF the Parish Church-just the
situation in which visitor from the great
city would wish TO see it-and beneath the
two luminous evening stars there is wide
stretching, unobstructed landscape, dotted
here and there with Iow-lying, well-kept
tarmsteads-a landscape which for beauty
and charm is scercely TO be seen outside
of England and which in the wide, far
zreaching prospect il presents can be found
I'm England only when one journeys from
sLondcG towasd the east
ANOTHER KIND OF FOG
But one doesn't escape fogs at this time
of the year by even flying to the country
They seem to be universal visitation, in
tended. doubtless. by a wise Providence
like the irrepressible Boer the kicking
Germans and the all-conquering Yankee
TO impress John Bull with a wholesome
sense OF his limitations To tell the coun-
try cousin that In London of late there had
been many times when traffic had to stop,
=
posts by running into them, and when the
'busmen had to lead their horses didn't
seem to astonish him bit. for he soon
tfi:mphantly informed you that he also
had TO carry a lantern in front of his steed
when returning home last market day
Sure enough. too, as luck would have 1t.
a fog settled over this country scene that
very first night, completely hiding the
Irritation OF the two evening stars and
almost knocking out the full moon. But
this country specimen OF mistiness, how
different it was in color and ingredients
from what all jewellers on the lower
Thames know painfully well as 1.-The
London particular" White does not differ
more from black That, in fact. is Just
what the difference is, and whereas the
fogs of LONDON leave everything smutty
fog. we found the next morning. had orna-
mented every object with boar frost. paint
ing for us a scene OF wtntry beauty such
as London would not be likely TO afford
once in a decade
From the street cries OF the worlds me-
tropolis. consisting predominantIy at this
season of BEST coal!" and Sweep" curl
ously and wonderfully uttered. how de-
Il,
happy childhood which come to us from
the village playground. But why are so
.many lingering there in play when it is
half an hour since the schoolmaster. by
hand bell Justify swung at the school door,
proclaimed to everybody concerned that il
was time for the mornings lessons to be-
gin? This is. the joint result % a certain
provision in the educational laws and of a
certain principle tenaciously adhered TO by
the English state church. The church in
sists that i'm all schools held in buildings
which are church property the first part
: OF each session shall be devoted to the
teaching OF the catechism. the prayer book
and selected parts OF the Bible Very
! good" says the government. I'VE yield you
: this point. but no children must be coerced
! or Inconvenience. Parents who do not
church tuition must be allowed liberty of
conscience. For these the doors must open
after religious instruction has ended"
This is what is known as the conscience
clause in the educational acts. and those
children who, half an hour and more after
. the others had begun their school work
were still disporting themselves on the
village green would all. l am sure. have
voted this conscience clause 10 be big
success
VILLAGE DIVERSIONS.
Few are the English villages that do not
boast a chime OF bells. and in this par
ticular village there happens 10 be such
a chime as would do credit 10 almost any
OF the parishes OF London. But they are
better where they are, because In their
present situation they can be heard. where
as In London they would have such clamor-
Gus competition In the roar of traffic and
m the rasping strains OF street music