Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-08-26
FRED HILL IN LONDON.
Former Morris Boy Takes in the
Metropolis.

Metropolis.
bennington, England.
August 10, 1905.
To the Readers of The Tribune
Let me see, / think when [ closed
my last letter the cab driver was
anxious to drink "me 'ealth". So
far as know, 1 think he did-he
certainly looked as tho he could.
In Londonl! Such a strange sem
sation comes over one at his first dip
into this great sea of humanity. Of
course New York is great and big and
full of hustling life-but London is
Dig and queer and easy-gAing and
beautiful. Here you can satisfy ev-
cry taste. If you are business man,
interested in big commercial and
banking institutions, visit the Strand
and Fleet Street or go to the Bank of
England, that greatest of all finan-
cial centers; if you are a lawyer the
Courts, the Inner and the Middle
Inns of Court, the court rooms with
Judge and barristers bewigged and
learned. If you are an antiquarian
you will want to haunt the British
Museum. If however you ale q
clergyman in disguise you will just
go every where as the spirit leads, or
buses travel, and will see all sorts
and conditions of life. The latter role
suited me best.
Our hotel, the Victoria was admir-
ably located for our purpose.
1t is near the heart of things-a
minute from Trafalgar square, with
its magnificent monument to Lord
Nelson,-"next door, to the head of
the Strand, five minutes from the
Houses Of Parliament, Westminster
Abbey, one minute from the National
Art Gallery and National Portrait
Gallery and within easy bus distance
from most of the Other historical
places. One of the first things that
impress the American is the evident
respect for the representatives of law.
A policeman can, by the wave of his
hand, stop the traffic of the Strand.
[ have seen nearly half mile of bus
ses stop suddenly, only to find that
one man has done it all without
word. A child or unprotected wo-
men needs only to be near police
man and her safety is secured. No
growing or clustering or loud talk.
ing. In New York a policeman
growls and threatens and sometimes
is obeyed, generally not. In this
connection let me say that one is i'm
pressed with the quietness OF traffic
here. The buses ar : far more quiet
than trolley cars and the smooth
pavements more conducive to peace
than cobble-stones. All teams are 60
ing one way on one side of the street
and in the opposite direction on the
other side make traffic simpler.
One of our first visits was to theZo-
illogical gardens. Why is it that we go
first to see the animals? | wonder if
it is not because of our relation to
them, not only at some prehistoric
time frank heresy this from clergy
many but also very close kinship in
our makeup today, At any rate we
were not the only visitors and we
were interested. We saw the lions and
tigers and seals fed. 1t was good fun.
Regent Park which contains the Zoo
and the Botanical Gardens is one of
the many parks of which London
boasts. The park systems of Eng
land are to my mind the glory of this
people. Play grounds, beautiful
flowers and trees and liberty of walk
ing on the grass. Flowers seem to
grow with no effort here and every
cottage has its front garden or at
least window garden.
In my travels about the city on top
of buses have taken pains to sit
near the driver. [ find him most
entertaining fellow and perfectly viii
ling to dispense information. He
has generally a keen sense of humor
Gas keen as it is possible for an Eng
lishman to have) and he loves to talk
If ne has an interested listener. He
can SPOT an American easily, not on