The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-11-09
TOWER OF LONDON.
Famous Building 10 Older Than Any
European Palace.

European Palace.
Possibly few persons are aware
that in comparison with the tower the
palaces and prisons throughout Eu-
rope are modern creations. Hep
worth Dixon establishes this fact
clearly In his admirable history. The
oldest bit OF palace in Europe-that
OF the west front Of the Burg in vien-
na-is the time of Henry VIII. The
Kremlin in Moscow. the Doges pal
ace in Venice. are OF the fourteenth
century. The seraglio in Stamboul
was built by Mahomet II. The oldest
part of the vatican was commenced
| by Borgia, whose name 1t bears. The
old Louvre was begun in the reign OF
| Henry VIII: the Tuilleries in that OF
| Elizabeth In the time of our civil
war Versailles was yet a swamp.
The 10th century claims the Escu-
rial; the 18th. San Souci Jerusa-
lens Serial is Turkish edifce; the
palaces of Athens. Cairo. Teheran,
are all of modern date. SO II is too.
| with the prisons. With the sole ex.
ception of st. Angelo in Rome all are
| of modern date as compared with
that one from which Ralph Flambard
escaped in the year 100. the date Of
the first crusade.
The crown Jewels in the tower are
worth it may be supposed. some f3,.
| 900 900. Everything of state regalia
Is there. with one notable exception.
| The Koh.i.Nor Is represented by a
crystal. Queen Alexandra wears the
original, on great occasions. as part
of her personal jewels. The tower
has been the sovereigns strong room
for the storing of treasure ever
since tower dwelling monarchs were.
| The old Jewel house itself was built
| simultaneously with the royal mint,
when that establishment was with
In the tower walls.
The only attempt to steal the treas.
ure is historic. 1t was the feat OF
that picturesque villain, Col. Blood.
He had ingratiated himself with the
deputy keeper of the jewels, had gone
so far as to propose a match between
his ward and the daughter of the Off.
cial. All went smoothly. The bogus
| swain turned uD to be inspected; (;
with him three others and the colonel.
They beat and gagged the old man,
secured the crown. orb and scepter,
and we're Just making off. when, by
the strangest coincidence. the son Of
the jewel keeper arrived from Flan-
ders.
The scene which followed would do
credit to the dramatist The colonel,
disguised as clergyman, had the
crown concealed beneath his cas-
sock, and added his voice to the hue
and cry, stop the villain" he roared.
He had reached his horse before the
imposture was discovered. When
they made for him he turned and
fired in the face of the men nearest
him. The pistol missed fire. and the
crown was saved; but not uninjured.
Trampled in the mud. its jewels were
all knocked out. and many of them
lost. An apprentice found the great
pearl, a scavenger the biggest dia.
mond. well, 1t was gallant deed
1t was to gain crown" was all Blood
had to say as they carried him pris'
oner to the dungeons.
But no i'll befell him for this and
other treason. He had played for
high stakes before. had attempted to
surprise Dublin Castle and capture
the Duke of Ormonde. and that fail
ing, had coolly laid his plans to seize
and hang him when he returned ia
London. The outcome of all was
that, confessing to having plotted to
take his sovereign's life. he was
granted a pension, and lived and died
in the odor of sanctity at court.
All this took place in the Martin
tower, which is haunted to this day
You are desired to believe. The
ghost is that of Harry Percy. ninth
earl of Northumberland. who spent
IA years of his life a prisoner there
The wizard earl, they called him. For
his companions he had Raleigh, work
ing on his mystic preparation which he
hoped would produce an elixir of life;
and Heriot Allen, Torperley, his Magi
as they were known. This little co
terie discovered sun spots before the
alert eye Of Calico had detected their
existence, and was the first to detect
the satellites Of Jupiter. When. al
the end of his long imprisonment, the
earl returned to his home, he
founded library from which hall
the learning of following years had
its inspiration. Only n sun dial
fixed by Heriot's own hands, remains
to commemorate that remarkable fel
lowship which did so much for the
glory of English science.-St. James
Gazette.