The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-27
WORLDS GREATEST BANK PASSES ITS 210th
 MILESTONE TODAY

Employees of the Bank Of England woH enjoy a aholiday today. for this is the 210th birthday of the worlds greatest banking institution. "The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street as the famc1s old bank is properly call ed, was projected by William Pat ersont and was incorporated July 27, 1894 It was constituted ias joint stock association, with a capital of $6,000, 900. In return for the loan of it's entire capital to the government it received the right to issue notes and a. monopoly of corporate banging ing England. It was not until early in the nineteenth century that this monopoly was broken down Tn it's early. days the Bank of England was a servant to the government; and in Q lesser or greater degree it has enjoyed this character through ali the stages of it's subsequent history. At first the charter of the bank was for eleven years only; but in consequence of the great services of the institution to the government it's charter has been at vartouS times renewed. Everyone knows that the Bank of England pos sesses many privileges, such as issuing bank notes and acting as the agent of the government in the matter of the national debt. But few are aware that it has the power of selling beer with out a license. This privilege was all lowed the bank by charter of incor- poration under the great seal, dated July 27, 1694. and. the bank, if it liked, could open a public house in Threadneedle street, or could send it's drays around and deliver it's beer. What a sale Bank of England beer would have with the chief cashiers s signature on the label of each bottle as guarantee.
 The festival of the Seven sleepers. vrf1i inT xxvi1 h rAIn f~a many countries, was introduced into the Christian church at a very early period. The legend on which it is founded, relates that the Emperor Decius, in the year 25O, having set up a statue in the city of Ephesus, com manded all the inhabitants to worship it. Seven young men, disobeying this mandate, and being unambitious to honor of martyrdom, fled to Mount Coehus, where they concealed them selves in a cavern. Decius, enrageds caused all the various caverns on the mount to be closed up, and nothing was heard of the fugitives till the year 479, when a person, digging a. foundation for a stable, broke into the cavern, and discovered them Dis turbed by the unwonted noise. the young men, who had been asleep all the time, awakened; feeling very hun gry, and thinking they had slept 6ut one night, they dispatched one of their number into Ephesus to learn the news, and purchase some provisions. The antiquity of the coin proffered by the messenger at bakers shop attracted suspicion, and the notice of the authorities. After an investiga- ton, the whole affair was declared to be miracle, and in it's commemora- ton the festival was instituted.
 This legend, which is merely an adaptation of a more ancient one. has found place in the Koran Accord ing to the Mohammedan account, the sleepers were accompanied by a dog, named Kratin. This animal, after its long sleep, becoming a great prophet and philosopher, has been admitted into the Musselman's paradise, where it sits beside the ass of Balaam. The other eight animals that enjoy this high privilege, are the ant of Solo
 mon, the whale of Jonah, the ram of Isaac, the calf of Abraham. the camel of Selah, the cuckoo of Belkis, the OK of Moses, and the mare of Mo hammed-