The San Francisco call., 1910-01-15

grow little tired of being confined to
such small space as the decks of the
big liner when the lights of land ap-
peared, and bidding goodby to all
their friends on board when the ship
docked at Liverpool they gladly began
their journey through England.
Don't you think said their father,
that instead of travelling by train in
the usual fashion it would be a good
plan to hire a furnished caravan and
drive through the country? The names
of stations are SO hard to read in going
by train, because we whiz by so fast
that it doesn't give us time even to find
out what places we have been through.
Everybody was delighted with the
caravan idea. and presently they all
embarked in the large, comfortable We
hic1e on their tour of inspection of the
English counties They drove through
beautiful fields of hops and along high
ways on which there were great num-
ber of Travellers some in motor cars
and many more in carriages or afoot
Shortly before noon the driver pointer
out an imposing edifice surrounded by
beautiful, parklike grounds which
seemed to take up many hundreds of
acres of land.
That's the duke of Richand's resi-
dence, he said. Perhaps you would
like to stop off and see it. Any one is
allowed to go through the house and
grounds And everybody gladly con-
sented to this suggestion and the
driver was left in charge of the cara
van while the rest of the party made
their way to the dukes residence
1T was indeed spacious mansion,
built at two distinct periods. the two
parts being connected only by long
stone galleries and outer balconies.
The old manor house, which was the
older part of the mansion, was much
<fat.r nd ipfn acf fino al
though not nearly so large or hand
some as the new castle, which was
comparatively modern and very well
kept up.
They were taken through the castle
by quaint old house keeper, who told
them with great pride that the older
part of the house was built at the
time of the Stuarts. But 1t was greatly
damaged by Oliver Cromwells men, al
though our house was on the side of
Cromwell% explained the old woman
'The whole country was In such state
that men scarcely knew what they did
or who was who or on whose side.
1t was case of country or king in
those days. for no man could serve
both and be an honest fellow. I'm
glad the times now are not so hard"
The old house keeper took them to
the large hall of the castle and pointed
out heavy iron box which she said
with great complacency was supposed
to have come down from the times
when the true Britons ruled the Brit
ish isles
THAT" said the children's father,
who was very learned in such mat
ters "is. believe. a Roman chest. err
roneously ascribed to the Britons. Such
mistakes are frequently made In judg-
ing the earlier products of ciyIllza-
tion."
This remark, you may be sure. was
not particularly pleasing to the old
house keeper, but her feelings were
soothed when, as the family thanked
her for her services. Mr.. Van Brunt
slipped a substantial memento OF the
visit into her hand.
Their next stopping place was a large
market town, from which they walked
out to inspect the market gardens in
the nearby country. They were. indeed.
wonderful-miles of hourishing yege-
tables all laid out as perfectly as any
small patch in front dooryard. They
found an old gardener very much dis