Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-10-21

leaving for Germnny on October 22d
II presents In IA most interesting man
ner the contrast between rural life
In old England and the busy Amer
lean west where Dr. Gray made his
home for twenty years previous TO
leaving Albuquerque for the Old
World last summer.
] am here In a secluded little par.
ish Ia the. heart OF England, taking
IN" place of the vicar, In order to en-
nnle MIN to pay long desired visit
l" Canada. II Is perhaps as great a
contrast as can well be Imagined:
from the eager, impetuous. striving,
STRENUOUS life at WESTERN America to
quiet, rcpOseful, unambitiOus COM
munity, where the gradual progress of
civilization has been for centuries
pursuing the even tenor OF itB way I'M
noticed by and unnoticing the buster
world without. In this retired village,
the thrubbing life beyond IL unheard.
aud the great interests OF modern life
and thought hardly raise IA ripple on
the placid surface Of the bucolic mind.
Years come and go with their little
tale Of local interest and add their
quota To the gathering traditions OF
centuries, to the exclusion Of almost
all outside AFFAIRS. with us here, the
yearly fair, the local flower show, the
tale Of the seasons and their yield,
are matters more important than the
doings of emperOrs and kings-to say
nothing Of presidents. The question
of home rule may be dividing IrelaEd
against Itself and tho talk Of church
dis"stabli,amcnt setting Wales in a
IN In To- at
TX rrlt IN the rival merits Of Farmer
lrpNu's bullocks or Farmer Jones's
Yorkshire pigs. while the effect OF the
wet summer upon the hay crop Is a
matter Of greater moment than any
outside affair. We live In little
world Of our own
This is charming spot. The un-
dulatng landscape, inteTsectcd by
green meadows bordered with tall
hedges; the Clumps Of ancient trees
that hay" sheltered cattle for Centur-
les; the splendid parks, with their
avenues OF outrageous lines and no.
bic oaks. leading TO historic mansions
fillrd with relics of bygono owners:
the little cottages, with their trim
gardens glowing with flowers; the an
cicnt church, overlooking the little
town, and extending AZ OF old, sup
port ana protection to all; tho almost
~ ancient market place, where tho
weekly barter and chnffer has gone
on since the days Of Edward the
Third; these and other similar scenes
combine to render this spot typical In
the fullest measure Of the picture OF
the pleasant land Of England 50 fam
liar 10 the mind Of Americans
The church Is more than six hum
drcd years old, a late Norman build
ing. formerly connected with u Cister-
elan abbcy--supprossed in the days Of
Harry the Eighth-beaTs upon It's
western wall tall tablet, recording
tho names Of successive Wears In un-
broken line from 1871 until now. The
uld stone pavement has been replaced
by trssclatcd oak, and Oaken pcws
have taken place Of the Tushes that
streWcd the floor In the pre-reforma-
ton days: but the splendid lines OF
the nave and uisles are as Of yOre, and
the old cOffcred ceiling above the cler-
cstOry. black with the passage Of the
centuries, still bears witness 10 the
skin of the builders of old time. The
ancient bells stlll ring out to call the
faithful to wUrshlp-and the ringers
of today are the llneal descendants.
In many cases, OF generations Of bell
ringers son following father In the
exercise of that hu, iblc yet priced Of
fIrc Of ecclesiastical service. one can
not take pat in services In such a
plncc without feeling 10 the fun that
abiding sense Of continuity which con-
.titutcs the chief contrast between the
old world and the new; the bond OF
kindred, ancestry, nationality, ana
common faith. unite In the fullest
sense under the roofs Of the ancient
churches In England, where the fore
fathers OF the AnglO-SaxOn inhabi-
tantg Of America wOrshipped, and In
whose haIlowed soil their bones were
laid to rest Hardly a name borne by
Americans Of English descent today.
nut nnds It's place on the walls OF the
English churches, or on the tombs
that stand without. The churhcyards
of England nre link with the great
commonwealth beyond the sea Tar
Al ,,nRer than the historic castles ana
tie stately homes.
There Is something very attractive
In the country folk. Their untahink
ourtesy--tinged though IL be Win
something "A little too like subserV-
fence to be agreeable to citizen OF
a commonwealth; their kindly ways
and gentle manner; the meekness OF
their cOmplacency. as contrastcd win
rather arrogant exhibitions OF that
quality for which Americans In gem
rral--and perhaps westerners In pa =
,icular-haVe been not unJustly no'ed:
and IN especial. the gift OF findlnE and
realizing happiness In small things
a quality which we have not yet hi'
tanned; all these are admirable III
themselves, and make one feel tnat
perhaps the secret OF contontmeat u
as great treasure as any that the
Worid ma, nave 10 offer.
Yet there II another zoe TO thlA,
These people. In the general, lead
lives that we In America would no'
uniustIy deem little short OF miAer-
able. The cottages, 10 eharmhA
from without, and, to the visitor 30
picturesque and delightful, are ire
ouentIy little better than novels the
Sione floors are cold and damp; the
thatch OF the roof. often black with