Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-31

to the free sights of London. The Chapel
OF the Pyx, which is the most remarkable
of those portions of Westminster Abbey
which date back to the reign OF Edward
the Confessor, has been thrown open to
the public. Hitherto 1t has been shown
by special order only. 1t leads off the
clOisters, and though not much to look at.
the chapel is an exceedingly interesting
portions of the abbey. and is believed to-
have formed part of the church built by
Edward the COnfessOr. Centuries have
elapsed however since the little build
ing was used for worship. Here were
kept the treasures of the kings of Eng
land for several centuries. There are two
huge treasure chests. that may be almost
as old as the chapel itself, which. as ITS
name suggests. must formerly have been
used for purposes of worship. for IL con-
tains what is said to be the only original
altar stone Of the first Abbey of West
minister. To gain admission under spe-
cial order was an affair of no small difn-
Guilty, for there Is a double door. which
could he opened only I'm the presence OF
cer.ain officials OF state, and then only
by means of seven keys, each of which
was foot long.
1t was custom alone which made all
this pomp necessary. for there Is moth
ing IN the chapel to conceal or that any
body could carry away. The PyN, which
is box containing the standards of gold
and silver, was long ago conveyed to
tie mint. Where the coinage IL lcSleu
every year by members of the Goldsmiths'
Company.
On London's three new tube railways
the Piccadily, the Bakerloo and the
Hampstead-there was inaugurated this
week a service that surely has no equal
In any city at home or abroad. BY an
alteration in the signal system il WAS
found possible 10 run fOrty-two trains
per hour on the Hampstead line, forty
per hour on the Bakerloo and thirty per
IN Piccanilly- fIIi,a The
remarkable record was achieved during
The busy hours in the evening. spe:ia!
arrangements being made to cope with
the theater traffic. IL says much for the
perfection OF the organization on these
systems that this marvellous result was
accomplished without q hitch. the trains
following each other in unbroken and
rapid succession. On the Hampstead and
Charing Cross railway alone 1900 trains
per day are now running. which is be-
lieved to be d record.
Finds Relative of Burns.
The Daily Chronicle claims to have
made a very remarkable discovery. which
is that there is great-grandson of
Robert Burns living in the heart of the
city of London. No proof is given beyond
the word Of an interviewer. but the story
certainly has something of a genuine look.
George William Pyrkes. known among his
brother wCrkmen as Sammy, is sixty
eight years of age, and n maker of ex-
cellent tea urns. He boasts TO nobody
of his relationship to the poet. but every
year he attends the Burns celebration at
the Albert Hall. His mother, he says,
was born I'm Clerkenwell in 1919. and was
the only daughter of Robert Burns elder
son.
Pyrkes is described as a good, steady
workman. much respected by his en-
ployerS, in whose service he has been for
the long term of forty years. He Is quite
a poor man, working at a decaying trade,
and looking hopefully forward to the
time when he will become entitled to an
old-age pension. One may take il for
granted. however. that If his pedigree is
placed beyond doubt the lovers of Robert
Burns. a description which includes mill
lions of people scattered all over the
world. will make application for an old
age pension quite unnecessary.
The officers Of the Salvation have long
desired that Gen. Booth would write the
story of his life, but their venera BILE chief
rather toyed with the idea for a long
time. doing little or nothing TO crafty
the wishes of his leading officers. About
week ago he appears to have made up
his mind that he must really undertake
his autobiography, and since then he has
characteristic energy, giving up to it
every moment he can snatch from his
other occupations.
Want Life Story of Booth.
''It will be big work. said a SILVA
ton Army official. 'for il will cover 10.
OF ground as the general has been prea CHI
ing siXty-four years off end since he wa
fifteen, I'm fact. His great diffic ulty will
out He remarked that il would be I'M
be not what 10 put in. but what to leave