The Republican journal., 1902-02-06
IN KING EDWARDS DOMAIN.
Notes of a Six Weeks Trip to England and
Scotland.

tracts many American visitors and is
usually overlooking with English
'swells," who go there for rest and re.
freshment, but as October is little
past the season we had plenty of eel
bow ROOM" The Bath Hotel, where
we made our headquarters, is a quaint
English inn on the main street, and
the only guests besides ourselves were
a few commercial travellers. When we
arrived, chilled from the short drive
from the station, we were ushered into
a very large room, with-joy of joys-a
bright open fire glowing invitingly at
one end. This, it was announced, was
to be private sitting-room for the ex-
elusive use of the party. The respec-
tive "oh's" and ''ah's" of the twelve
had different significance, but as each
dropped into the nearest easy-chair,
there was chorus expressive of per-
feet comfort and satisfaction. Some
of us felt, however, that it sas but just
to the pretty little place to set out on
our usual tour of exploration and dis
coyery; but, mercifully, a series of
showers came up and gave us such an
excellent excuse that we left neither
our chairs nor the fire until about five,
when, the showers having ceased, we
managed to tear ourselves away from
the magic circle Our walk up the
street was personally conducted and
therefore we took in everything go
| ing, including the handsome bathing
house, and a drink from the original
spa From more liquid refreshment at
/ that particular place, may the saints
preserve us,
After dinner, which was served by
| two Of the prettiest little White-capped
maids that ever ''tlew round to serve
dozen hungry travellers. the gentle
men brought their various peace-pipes,
jsome of them suspiciously new and
smoked them around the campfire in
the presence of the squaws while
council was held, in which, contrary to
the usual custom, the latter took an
important part. \ very pleasant even
ing was spent, but, partly on account
OF a number of bad colds and partly in
view of ''that tired feeling" manifested
10y the entire company,the circle thinned
ont early, leaving only the older medi-
cine men to prolong the conclave.
Sunday morning dawned raw and
threatening, and The mere suggestion of
the original plan of driving to War
wick Castle sent cold shivers up and
down ones spine. A go-as-yo please
day was decided upon, resulting in the
division Of the party into threes-three
taking train for Warwick, three
attending the nearby church, three GO
ing for an extended walk, and the
remaining three settling themselves
comfortably about the fire intending
to do some reading and writing and
spend a quiet morning generally. 1t
may as well be confessed, however,
that very little was accomplished in
the way of reading or writing, bat it
was quiet enough.
The afternoon fulfilled the promise
of the morning, and the day passed
Swiftly by with much quiet JOY A
little diversion was caused at dinner by
one Of the ''sweets,' and resulted in
the appearance of a pound of Cadbury's
chocolates, the rapid disappearance of
which could not, we fear, be laid
entirely to the door Of their owner
Stratford-on-Ayo Won, fifteen miles dis
tant from bennington, was the OBJ
jective point the next day. but as
the wind was high all idea of a
carriage drive was given up and we
made our way to the little railway
station, where we embarked for the
home of the Master Poet. Although
the distance was so short we were
obliged to change cars twice, and an
absurdly long time was spent before
arriving at our destination, From the
station, we walked to the Golden Lion
Hotel, known in Shakespeare's time as
1e Peacock Inn, where, tradition runs,
he was wont to go for his daily glass of
ale. While arrangements were being
made for break to take US to Shottery.
the scene of Shakespeare's courtship
and Anne Hathaway's home, the party
rushed across the street and overflow
ed the small souvenir shop, not discon-
certing the corps of clerks in the least.
however, for they evidently were used
to American invasions. We were soon
summoned back to the hotel and here
all boarded the carriage for delightful
drive through the village streets and
picturesque country lanes bordered
with hedge rows. Before we left the
town behind us we passed the grammar
school where the wonderful dramatist
learned his ''small Latin and less
Greek and received the limited
| education which has caused so much
controversy. After drive, all too brief
in duration, we aighted at the gate and
! slowly sauntered up the path to the