The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-12
A sTORl'FOf SAFETY.
One truthful American In the Presence
Of tho Maryels OF Ecclesiastical Art.


teer a little enlighten nent for four persons
therein concerned.
Having entered the precincts Of the ABBEY
ruins Melrose Abbey, Scotland, II was
shortly after breakfast. and taken cur'ory
survey Of the wealth OF exuuisltely sculpt'ireo
canoples. grotesque gargoyles and otheI
fine carving which adorns their exterior. we
had entered the south portal and were ex'
aiming leisurely sosno superb Early English
piers In the south transept. when II occurred
TO us that we had omitted 10 procure the
usual Official pamphlet guide at the gate
But we decided that We could perhaps gel
along without the rapturous and superlative
adJeotives with which these penny classics
often overflow. Now. II chanced that few
PAGES TO our left the sacristan was conducting
through the church ruins party composed
Of an elderly lady and apparently her three
dau lighters. and the father, who followed
somewhat In the rear
The feminine portion OF the family were
all eyes and ears. and seemed to await the
words OF their gray haired oracle with the
keenest delight. but the father sulked alons
like plumber working overtime. He kept
shifting from hand to mouth an unllt CIGAR
glanctng with an injured air at the eccleslas-
teal walls about him, as though long list
Of previous experiences with their like had
stamped upon his mind the mandate. mo
smoking Upon hearing our casual ex-
pressions Of Indifference as to guide book.
he pluoked up ear at once and hung upon
our decision with something OF that forlorn
and downcast hope. 1 think, with which the
Prisoner OF Chillon must have hardened for
the voices Of his brothers. But when he heard
our illusions to tho usual character OF the
contents. to use a fresh metaphor. he just
Weighed with delight. took a ten rail fence.
and landed in our pasture.
Never mind. young men. says he, about
guide. Thia is my twenty seventh cathe-
drai. gone most through tho whole blame
list. Been here two days. can give you
just as good as print" And. taking c. good
naturedly by the arm. he began:
We shall now devote some little time to
the examination OF tho form Of q female
hand clasping q spray OF flowers. which
adorns the corbel before US. OF this like
ness Lord Anclentstones has mus written:
Were II cut OF and placed among the Ele1n
Marbles 1t would be kissed by the coRnoscenti
as one Of the finest OF them all. while Sir
Mortimer Readalot Mustytome. nephew Of
the Duke OF Tipplemuoh. the thiro cousin
on the paternal side to Lady Chaaeabout Of
Popinoourt Hall. declares that II would put
female deity In Greclan mythology. Gabriel
Of the last century. discovered that il viewed
from a distance, Of some twenty feet the
arsvs fshsr 9 sse s"ss e
lose their definition. which fact has justified
him Ia pr9nounoins this piece OF carving the
D. fnsoR Ess last 200 year. there has been
Hsas.s as s.na TIPS
eccssissticai disnitsries. and also antiauaries
wearis a eAi months IN Stud ylns the mIrscu-
lous carvings Of this imposing edihce. have
q ior IT,
hand Of 81. Ann. But bow shall we de-
a9a q terms. Sir q %
Gent contempt the blasphemous utteranoes
OF the commonplace and vulgar American
that 1T was the hand Of no part! cular person,
saint or goddess. but just a female hsndf
Lord ~ az, heartily in . the
s tass sddaelns DIoof !e.s the r. u
Of i7ss I snd devo9es three chap.
ters thereon In his learned 'Dlsouisition on
important Truths and Errors in the Modern
quick, dad please" cried one Of tho daueh-
ters: coaxlnsly. holding up her pencil "lhaye
t Ssessn y ns and we are Just to BEGIN on
mother; don't YOU l knew they n never have
',s1 shs Father x9e mid
way between snort and sigh. hastened
to fulfl his daughters behest. StraiRhtwsy
somewhere in his broad expsnse Of protrud-
seriously ny Espns sep tie
matter 81 ancient religious buildings. it's
that addsd he .asa
c cla .Yss. IL. i is slxsys tbs same
hands the worn j, out shabby, an. And dismal
solemn obeli,Es toward he misty eleres.ory.,
the music X comparable only .,t to eelsstisl
.d Il. t5s Ssk WITH hss
groinIng Eyery. little while there 6 q sud
den, influx Into these, bare. cold buildings
rush at thi. or that object. even 4 merely
ziRzag pattern on a column or 9 nolseless and
handless tombstone image. like Oh, chickens kens
;3 ssa sHss e ny o.s wa
it sv Of ds
lR%srssy .uSdaed ana mel!sv teRs Of sStIa:
gaze at ugly old ahts as II they were signals
from Mars. and flock about nusty y aide ohapels
eternity.
Our party numbered about dozen most
of the time. and each one, 'cept me. swore
by some different authority on cathedrals.
At one place. Lincoln. believe IL was. We had
to climb high hill at night and gaze at the
building for almost an hour in the noon
light. because some fool Corio stood gazing |
In the same spot from sunset till dawn. On
another occasion counsel was taken for. q
week as to whether a. ertsn abbey had better
west or south: and at last before We could |
see the thing there was another .momentous !
matter to be decided. for one said II was at
4 street and another at street that We were
all to lose our breath for ten seconds In rapt |
And after rensackng four or |
Ave volu mes right on the sidewalk. tho dread |
full discovery was made that this respiratory |
should have taken place at York |
Il tell you, gentlemen" he continued, |
0lancing good natured l-fiance at his "perma- |
nent conscience, while her three daughters |
listening with half averted ear. gave back at |
father repeated looks OF affectionate f1lial |
rebuke. II tell you, by Saint Davi am 40 sick
Of flying buttreSses. 1oriated cOrbels. and |
tracery that ehy at an ordi- |
nary stone hitching post and bnk, whenever |
pass under Intel for fear they'll turn into |
rot and am so stuffed full Of script oriums. |
ptscine. jeweed mitres and frayed ante I,
pendiums not to mention Cstercians Fran |
,iHcans, Benedlctinea and Carthuelans. that |
feel as IL had eaten six fat monks and a |
.ouRh old bishop to bootl"
just here dads penknife was again sud
1enly In reauisition, for this time Patricia |
needed fresh point. And We, hoping that |
our non attendance for the next phllippic |