Waterbury Democrat., 1902-03-17
THE TICHBoRNE DINNER.
\ Curious Custom ofz the south of England That Mad a Very
 Pretty Origin.

furious customs, the searcher after sim gular observances, finds many things to interest him. Some are great na- tional festivals with odd rites injected into their ceremonies, others are bizarre municipal affairs, others have lived their life i'll the past and exist but as memory to-day, others are vil- lage or parish customs scarce known beyond the borders of the brief dis trict of their observance, but none have n prettier legend for their origin and a' more rational celebra tion in the pres ent day than the annual charity offer- ing and charity dinner held at Tich- borne, Hampshire, England, on St. Cronan's day, January 26, says the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
 Many years ago, at time not par ticularly set forth in the legend, the story runs, there lived in the manor house of Tichborne the rough, bear like and uncharitable Sir Roger Tich- borne. He was fond of riotous living, card playing, hunting and rough sports, but had not the saving grace possessed by so many of his kind-oc- casional gleams of kindness, charity and large -heartedness. Mean, crafty, cunning and brutal, he took particular delight in inhicting misery upon the poor and those over whom he exercised authority, and he was heartily hated throughout the length and breadth of Hampshire. His wife, the Lady Ma bella, was his opposite in every respect, and was as much loved by the people as her husband was loathed. Kind and gentle in disposition, her charita ble acts had been many but the one in which she took the keenest delight was the giving of a dole or portion of bread to the poor of Tichborne from the stops of the village church on St. Cronan's day. During the closing years. of her life however, she lost her estates, her private fortune was swept away, and her acts of charity were thus brought to an untimely end. She begged her husband for the means to at least con tinue her St. Cronan day charity, but he only mocked her tears and prayers. During her last illness, in moment of rare passion, however, Sir Roger agreed to accede 10 her request, but hesitated when she insisted that he give her enough to endow it and thus make the festival an annual occur renee. At last he told her that he would give her for the purpose just so much land as she could compass in a walk while a knot of wood was burning.
 The Lady Mabella was so i'll she could scarce stand on her feet. and Sir Roger must have chuckled when he named the 1,,3+ 1aao foa Sf ,d d<xvsn c at once carried in her bed to large field, determined to fulfill the condi- tions of the proposition. Despite her spirit she found she could not actually walk, and therefore asked her husband to permit her to crawl. This was agreed to; the brand was lighted and the courageous lady started to per form her task. Though the bit of wood selected by the husband was apparent ly perfectly dry, an old chonicle states, it smoldered as if it were damp, and be- fore it had finally been reduced to ashes the wife had comsoa ssed 23 acres of good land-a tract which is still known as the "Crawl," and is pointed out with great reverence to all visitors at Tich- borne. Fearing that the agreement might later be violated Lady Mabella laid curse on the family just before she expired that if such a thing should ever come to pass the manorial home would crumble away, the lord of the day would have seven daughters, and the family name become extinct. But Sir Roger faithfully kept his agree ment. The proceeds from the crops raised on the 23 acres were donated to the parish, and the distribution of the bread purchased with it made every St. Cronan's day. Tn the year 1796 the custom was so much abused that the Tichborne of the day decided to dis continue it. When he married his chil- dren were all daughters, and the name became extinct, as he was the last male of the line. In 1903 the house was
 blown down, and the daughter who was then in possession of the estate she had married man named Doughty, was moved by this occurrence to estab- fish the endowment again, but in the form of dinner to the poor of the par ish instead of general distribution of bread to all who might apply, and in this form the custom is still observed every January 26. Collections of money are also made on this day by the church authorities for the further re- lief of the needy living in the parish.