Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-01-03
OLD BANBURY TOWN
IT HAS SEEN MANY STIRRING EVENTS
IN ENGLISH HISTORY.


Affairs OF state.
Would YOU not think. II. you found
the following lines,
ES RoHH co CAED IRl
Seogeh sreve ereh wcisume vahl
lah sehs Sc otreh nos ilebdnas
regni frch nos gnlres rohycr
ganoed iryd ale nifae esots sorcy
rub nabot es rohk CO caed ir,
that you had discovered some quaint
old Itunic rhyme or a verse In some
language SO ancient that IL would take
an antiquarian to decipher it2
That was exactly what an enthuslas
tic band OF archaeologlsts did think one
time, SO the story goes, when they
found this inscription cut In the corner
stone Of very old building in Ban
bury. England. These gentlemen were
on the lookout for just such quaint old
bits, and you can imagine how excited
they were over this when they discov
cred IL.
''This is certainly prehistoric Welsh,
said they and took Il straightway tC
the president Of the archaeological SO
ciety 10 which they belonged He rub
bed his hands softly and smiled This
discovery is something quite worth
while" he said. And all these wise
gentlemen felt very virtuOus as they
wrinkled their browS and wondered
what story or what great secret the
queer old words would unfold.
But they puzzled in Vain. They could
not read il. SO then they telegraphed
TO widely known professor Of dead
languages. asking him to translate IL
for them.
Very soon the return message arrived.
and all clustered around the president
to hear the telegram.
Read backward" it suggested. land
when il is deciphercd IL viii be found
TO be well known rhyme"
SO it is. as you see for yourselves.
and these wise gentlemen found that a
fine hoax had been played upon them.
You all know how il goes:
Ride a coclhorse to Banbury Cross
To see q fine lady upon gray horse:
| Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
| She shall have music wherever she goes
Banbury is best known the English
speaking world over 10y this nursery
rhyme. although. as n matter Of fact.
this famous little town is in the heart
Of 4 country that has seen many stir
ring times in English history. 1t is In
OXfordShirc. seventy-seven miles from
London.
One OF the first conflicts known to
have taken place there was that in SOC
between Cymric king Of the West
Saxons. and the Britons Later. dur
l Ia hn % A.
it was besicCed. and again I'm 1914 and
1916 during the struggle between the
parliamentary troops and the royal
arms. 1t was here that the leaders OF
CrOmwelrs forces discussed and per
fected many OF their plans. and 1t was
here that some Of the fercest conflicts
were waged.
Battlehelds are shown in many
places near by, and every village for
miles around can display something
Of historical interest either in Roman
relics or mementos Of the civil wars.
The hundreds OF dramatic or tragic
stories that are told by the people
would fill many volumes.
Mother Goose has. however. been
quite as valuable as history In keen
ing green the name Of Banbury. and
TO student OF the immortal nursery
rhymes It is interesting to observe how
many OF them are founded on fact. re-
cord quaint customs or mention real
places or people. even though not abso-
lutely accurate historically.
The procession OF the fine lady OF
the rings and bells mentioned in the
rhyme takes place each year in Ban
bury with considerable ceremony. The
lady is usually mounted on white
horse, however.
The present cross. which stands az
the top Of High street in n wide open
space at the junction OF four cross
roads is an ornate affair. with a steeple
point, erected in 1859 near the site OF
the old Banbury cross. 1t commem-
crates the marriage Of the late EN-
peror Frederick III. OF Germany 10 the
princess royal Of England on Jan. 20,
1858, and Is decorated with the arms
OF Banbury, those of the German en-
peror, of Queen Victoria and Of several
other sovereicns, earls, knights, blsh-
ops and Wears.
One more thing makes Banbury ia.
nous, and that is its cakes, which are
known throughout the kingdom. They
are said to have been introduced in
1GOS. Banbury cakes are undeniably
delicious tidbits Of pastry They must
be eaten when quite fresh, preferably
at Banbury town itself. They are like
extremely rich turnovers, filed with n
mince of fruits, which melts delectably
down ones throat and causes a pro
nounced sensation OF desire for more.
There is a rivalry in the bakeshops
as to which is the really true, original
one Who knows? Perhaps the cakes
are, after all, the real Queen Of Hearts
tarts!-Millicent Olmsted In St Nicho.
las.