Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-03-20
ACROSS TRATAL GAR SouARE

med and tinseled and decorated ne
less lavishly.
Through Central London.
The wise stranger reserves night
free from theater-going for stroll
through central London's streets. OF
course he must see the Embankment-
where noble curve Of lights trails
its reflection, like flung-down neck
lace, in the water from Blackfriars
to Big Ben. The monstrous tram
cars. not very impressive by day. are
glass caskets of effulgence. spinning
along their polished rails below the
cliffs of the Cecil and the Savoy.
The more squalid south side Of the
Thames displays an illuminated adver
tisement or two. exasperations to the
aesthetic. Westward. st. Stephens
lifts fine silhouette athwart a vague
flush Of radiance beyond. The light In
the clocktower shows that parliament
is sitting; and Tate extra" bought
in Northumberland avenue. WIN tell
US what the talk has been about We
have forgotten it by the time we enter
Trafalgar square, where the silhou.
cite Of lions and Nelson's Pillar are
clear-cut against a flare Of gold at the
Coliseum In st. Martins lane. Those
spots Of extremer dazzlement always
mark q theater-though the picture
palaces are now nearly as blatant
Up by Charing Cross road and round
into Coventry street or Shaftesbury
avenue we get the impression that tho
whole Of London is given over to the
pursuit Of pleasure.
This IL theater.land: the vortex Of
gaiety's whirlpool, only excelled, per
haps only equaled, by our American
friends tabled half-mile Of Broadway.
Why go inside any theater when this
tableau is to be seen free outside?
Why bother with burlesQue and ballet
when the evolutions of London's mil
lion pedestrians roll and unroll. tan
gle and untangle here? Why seek
comedy and tragedy behind footlights1
A hundred yards Of Piccadilly circus
exhibit enough comedy and tragedy
to last for many an evening. That.
l think, or something like It, II how
our provincial often feels after hil
walk through London at night. Should
he be temperamental1y countryman
fond Of the fields and the fresh cir o!
heaven. he may be glad enough to Gee
tho last Of this exhausting and garist
wilderness Of houses and lights and
hectic activity; but, even SO. he can
not fail to derive some amussmen,
from Just those aspects Of It which
leave the Londoner cold. The Lon
doner buys all his pleasures too d
rect1y. A theater is to him . plaol
wherein to see play, cato 10 |
place wherein to obtain meat an
drink.
To a stranger q theater ID . plac'
wherein not only to SEQ the play. bu
this 10 = gift supplied withou
charge-to see the playgoers; cat
Is a place wherein to get refreshmen
for the body with the addition Of
still moro stimulating refreshment 70
the mind. Pictures! at nigh
10 bewildering and kaleidoscope gal
lery Of pictures; and even when tn
streets have emptied and no sound
nehru Uut tHe HOot Vi iato uAAIC~
or the trundling Of an early markst
cart. fresh compositions present then
selves at every turning: mysteriosl
and endless perspectives of lamp
| strange, pale facades with blank VIII
dows rising like precipices from th
canyon Of the roadway, or colorle1
trees, In some deserted square. throw
ing the pattern Of their motionlee
leaf-shAdows upon the pavement b
: side tho sooty ratings.