Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1916-04-26

kindly provided, altho l had arrived
after the meal hour. Tired after the
days sightseeing, retired to my
room and sought repose. When I
awoke next morning and looked out
thru the window my eyes beheld a
beautiful fountain in the center Of
small square, where several
streets converged. After break
fast I strolled toward the foun-
tain, where stream of water
was flowing into a granite basin,
and noticed with considerable
interest that it was the American
memorial fountain presented by
George w. Childs, Of Philadelphia TO
the town Of Stratford in 1887. I
was pleased to be reminded of
America, where I had my home and
loved ones, as L stood on these hal
lowed grounds once trod by noble
Shakespeare's feet. I felt that even
I, though an American, could claim
a part of the great poet. His gen
ius, though belonging to England in
the first place, is in reality the conf
mon heritage of all mankind.
Shakespeare belongs to all races and
to all times because he has better
than any one else expressed the
thoughts and feelings that find lodg-
ment in the human heart.
But across the street yonder
see the building, the outlines Of
which were familiar, from pictures
I had seen and which told me that
there is the house where Shakespeare
was born. I fastened thither,
bought my admission ticket and soon
found myself inside the house. The
house is constructed of REINFORCED
plaster, that is, a framework Of
heavy timbers filled in with coarse
plaster. The house is kept in repair
and preserved as far as possible like
it was in Shakespeare's time. On
the ground floor is located the kit
chen, where is shown an old clock
and some pieces Of old furniture.
The large inner double room has
been turned into a museum where
numerous relics from Shakespeare s
time are exhibited, such as old coins
and medals, deeds to property
bought by Shakespeare, deeds wit
messed by Shakespeare's Il kindred,
documents in two law suits in which
Shakespeare attempts to collect
money due him, signatures i Of
Shakespeare's elder daughter and
grand daughter, photo ographs and
busts produced after the poets death,
old editions Of Shakespeares plays,
etc. A well preserved copy Of the
first folio published in 1923, seven
years after his death is found there.
No edition of his works was pub
lished during his life time. This
would seem to show the extreme
modesty of the poet, who evidently
did not realize the excellence Of the
productions Of his genius. Ascend
ing the stairway I came first into a
large double room which is used as
a library and where most of the
books and commentaries that
have been written about Shakespeare
and his plays, have been collected
from all corners Of the earth, also
the works Of contemporary authors,
and books with which Shakespeare S
work shows him to have been fam
illiar. There are several works on
herbs "and theyr gracyous vertues
which god hath ordeyned for our
prosperous welfare and helth for
they hele and cure all maner of
DISEASES and sekenesses that fall or
mysfortune to all maner of creatures
of god created practysed by many
expert and wyse myatsers, etc" A
book on medical notes by John Hail.
Physician, who married Susanna, the
poets elder daughter, is seen here
also many photographs and old
views Of Stratford and London, and
various articles of historic or anti
quarian value.
From this room we stepped into
the holy Of holiest, the very room in
which Shakespeare was born. Not
in gilded palace, surrounded by
pomp and luxury, did Shakespeare
on April %, 1864 see the light Of
day, but in a very modest apartment
He was Of humble parentage. Al
the time of his birth the father, Johr
Shakespeare, was probably running
a butcher shop in one Of the rooms
down stairs. But from this lowly
birth room, as from the manger al
Bethlehem, though in far lesser
measure, has issued forth a light
that has been an inspiration, and de.
light to millions Of human beings
When we stood in this room, whose
walls have re-echoed to the infantilt
|cries and joyous prattle Of the chile
Shakespeare, we felt almost as il
I'VE were in a church, a holy place
Leaving the building and its court.
feous attendants, we next took stroll
thru the garden in the rear Of the
house, where are now grown all The
plants and flowers mentioned by