Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-12

comparatively Inexperienced ana I'M
sophisticated girls. From the dock
the melancholy waving of the handker-
chiefs, and the mournful farewells
nlainly showed that few ever expected
to see us again.
Certainly our trip was propitiously
bcgun-a calm, clear September day
when we started, the weather con-
tinued 50 during the whole voyage,
hardly a white cap being seen all the
way over.
1t does not take long to grow accus-
toned to the life on board ship, and
We were socn reckoning time by bells,
aud playing shuttle board and quoits
with our fellow passengers. 1t is the
pride of nearly every woman to look as
well as possible on deck, but after a
day out diShevelcd locks. steamer caps
and walking skirts are in order. as the
uncertain rocking Of the vessel make
elaborate toilets out OF the question.
The calm monotony of the VovaS"
was broken one morning when at ten
o'clock land was sighted and we had
or first glimpse of the British Isles.
All that day we coast1d along thc south
shore of ireland, 50 close IN land that
we could distinguish the regular farms,
separated from one another by mounds
OF earth. At one time Lord Fermoys
castle peered at lis through the trees.
as if to tender us a passing greeting.
then it gracefully sank from sight
amidst the surrounding foliage.
From Ireland we soon reached Liver
pool where the custom house ordeal
Was not 50 terrible as we had imagined,
or else we were not suspicious looking,
fqr it WAS but the work of a second to
have kings label pasted on eur lug
gage and off "" went speeding away
to the English lake region in one of
those curious European carriages,
where there are four windows in every
compartment besides the two in the
DOORS
While yet in the city limits we re-
hearsed over and over the lesson on the
value~of English money We had given
Us atE.th2 American express office.
on beart! the ship we thought we knew
al thcTc Was to be known about the
English coins, ana We kept saying
proudly over to ourselves. "two-pcncc
half penny" but when my friend went
and asked the clerk how much a letter
rurt fuppence-ha' penny" sounded so
much like a foreign language, that we
decided We knew nothing of their
strange money after al.
I.eaving the city behind. we saw on
alY9sidas those much read of hedge
rows, which in Wordsworths words
arc
"ScarceIv hcdSeroWs.
Little lines of s1ortivc wood run Wild
Tire English cars went slow enough,
so that We could enjoy the ever-chanS-
ing scercry In fact 50 absorbed were
We In all about US. that we were lcar-
Tied several miles out of our way
aiightn- at Windormerc, instead of
Windcrncrc-on- the-Lakc, as there WAS
no obIiging conductor to call out the
names If the stations. but only
guard who at rare intervals opened the
door of our compartment and punthed
our tickets.
Our first taste Of the English lakes
was a sail over beautiful Wind rmcr",
where we were very much troubled ny
the tax. around us. 1t n" more resciu-
bles the English spoken in our country
than the modern Italian resembles
Latin. 1t was almost impossible to
understand them. and we wondered at
forwards, how we ever succeeded in
reaching Ambleside with its ivy covered
stone houses and its quaint Salutation
Hotel, where we met for the first time
the traditional English butler. With
unmoyed countenance he stood behind
our chairs as stiff as a presiding deacon
and as solemn. 1t took US several meals
fn
apparition, witch appeared and reap
pcarcd unexpectedly, like rtainlctS
ghost at the banquet table.
The next day we set apart for
Rusl<in pilgrimage After an early
breakfast. we climbed ladder into
typical English stage-coach, and away
we went over the road to Conistnn. IN
every side Of us were fields OF heather
and broom. which called to our minds
those words of Jean Ingelow:
IAN cr,ptr sky . world of heather,
Purple of foX-Glov". yellow of broom,
Wc two among them, WadInC toGethff
Shaking out honey, treadnS perfume.
Arriving at Coniston we began back
wards in R,Iskins life. visiting first his
grave which is marked by a simple
stone toDped with Grecian cross. On
the SlJHF are tdiNt'i h''7iN''i'7 - ~ '7'''N
ing his works. as for instance, seven
candle stickS standing for his seven
Lamps Of Architecture"
In the centr" of the littl" village IN"
RuSkin Museum had been recently
opened. and in we went by dropping
penny in a box and going through Il
tlrn-Styic. There was only one room
and no cuStodians as tho visitors were
placed upon their honor. Yet in that
one room we saw many interesting
things bearing directly upon the au-
thor's life. On all the walls were
sketches which showed the artist side
of his nature. while in cases were
manuscripts of some of his writings.
The following is Il poem that probably
has never been printed, and which was
ntcresting to MS as he wrote it when
he was ten years old.
The Fairies.
T wandered forth at midnight
Ard silently. silently rove.
Where the moonlight poured
On the dewy sward
And on the elm grove;
Twas n kind of fancy scenery.
A kind of airy creamery,
Such silence as | love
In one case there was book with