The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-09-26

~ the Same As Of Old
church village In the dale or valley of
the Kent-one finds Kirkby Lonsdale
not far away. In time. however. the
prefix was dropped and Kent-dale be-
came worn down to Kendall.
Castle 40 Old as the Conquest.
Since the barony Of Kendall was one
of the most northerly fiefs mentioned
in William the Conqueror's "Dooms-
day Book" the castle is at least as old
as the conquest. It was well located
on commanding Eill east of the riv-
-. apparently far safer than the VIII
lagef ind church that grew up close
below and looked I'D to it and its
soldiers for protection. One goes up
Parr street to visit the castle ruins,
and there is reminded that in the
Reformation days 1t was In the hands
of the Parr family. and that the last
wife of the much-married Henry VIII
was born there. Catherine Parr, hav-
ing successfully buried two husbands,
did not shrink from risking the fate
of some of Henry's previous queens.
daunted by her experience that she
afterward married again. After her
time the castle had no living influ-
ence in the nations life, and for two
and half centuries has been an un-
tenanted ruin.
The Norman has gone and left little
trace Of his violent conquest and
naughty rule. Perhaps the descen-
dants OF the ~axons over whom he
lorded it are softer and more versatile
of speech, endowed with greater sense
of abstract justice. respect for law and
love of ,heraldry and titled power, but
little else distinctly Norman can be
traced in the little village of Kent
dale today.
Characteristics Of the People.
Their speech is broad and gutteral,
matching well the clack of their hob
nail shoes, save where education or
travel have softened both shoe soles
and speech. One sees clearly the fair
Saxon features, especially in the wo-
men, who are so conservative of racial
type, blue eyes; fair skins that flush
rosy on the maidens' cheeks and grow
florid on the old women's faces. but
never tan; light hair, usually showing
a reddish tinge, fronts it Celtic or
Morse strain. The latter, probably,
since there are SO many evidences of
Morse occupation in these northwest
ern countries. Rune stones are now
and then dug up as at Heysham. and
the suffixes of most place names such
as thwaite, thorpe, by. are Morse, as
well as such words as fell. ghyll. tarn
and many common proper names.
The old men Of the town are inclin-
ed to be squat and heavy, and the Gus
tom of wearing a fringe of beard
around the face gives them patriar-
chal, II somewhat goatish appearance.
The Saxon blood nowhere appears
clearer than in the tenacity with
which the humber citizens stick to
their customary privileges. The green
along the Kent is all that remains OF
the old common" on which the dwell
lers in the crowded yards" pastured
their sheep, bleached their fabrics and
dried their clothes after washing them
in the Kent
Right to Hang Out Washinss.
They have no longer reason or de-
sire for most Of these things. but the
housewives steadfastly resist every
effort to deprive them of the right to
hang out their washings and pasture
sheep on the village green. What care
they that the progressive and respec-
table people are scandalized that tour
lists should be greeted every Monday
by acres Of waving underwear and
night dresses. be tke.y never so spot
less and white? Il is the true spirit
of '76 and one can believe that the
same sturdy Saxon love Of personal
and customary rights and privileges
binds In one clan of free blood the
trainers OF Magma Charta, the long
parliament, Boston tea party and the
Kendall housewives.
Kendafs first charter was for q Sat
urday market. and it is still one of the
live institutions Of the town. q great
event for farmers and housewives, and
= perpetual JOY for sightseers and
children.
Industrial Changes.
The WOODEN industry has gone; the
railroad has bought up the canal that
gave impetus to 80 many industries =
century ago. and uses 1t only for coal
barges; but new Industries have come
and the people are thrifty and content.
The Norman came by the sword and
perished Of war. lust, disease and idle
ness, but the little community Of pa
tient and stolid Saxons that submitted
to the power they could not resist. and
held their market and wove and dyed
their wool under the shelter of the
castle. lives on. The calamity of the
Norman rule proved ! blessing IN dis.
guise. since II enforced peace and
taught Justice and thrift. And now
their descendants have bought Of the
heirs tho old castle ruins and hillaide