The Carlisle independent., 1918-02-28

% JUL aIHeFlCdQSt when they H die, go to Paris, so it is al
 legged. While they are alive
 many of them are content to spend considerable part of their time in London. They cannot help it, for, according to Emerson, the English have made London "sueh a city that almost every active man, in any na- ton, finds himself, at one time or an- other, forced to visit it." In normal times census of the strangers within our gates would disclose a large pro- portion from the other side of the At lantic, says Herbert ". Horwill in Country Life. The West End shop keeper knows this well, as a scrutiny of his windows will show. He has even gone so far in catering to the taste of the American visitor as to es- tablish in our midst that un-English institution, the soda fountain. Tailors, tobacconists, ''dry goods'' merchants all combine to confirm the verdict that London is "the best and cheapest shopping-p place in the world"
 No doubt, most of the Americans who find their way to this city are 'transients," but some who arrive with the intention of making only a brief sojourn remain here for the rest of their days. One remembers, for in- stance, the Chicago millionaire who took up his permanent abode in Lon don club and whose decease gave Sir William Harcourt's Death Duties so magnificent a send-off.
 What do these Americans come out for to see? The answer is obvious what they have no chance of seeing at home. To the citizens of a country where every church over 100 years old is regarded as an antiquity, and where the Washington sightseer, on his trip to George Washington's home, is told that he is now approaching the an- cient city of Alexandria" (dating from A. D. 1T48), the treasury of historic material provided by London is of al- most inexhaustible interest. In the old CT parts of the city nearly every step brings them into touch with some build Ing whose associations recall a period
 
 pendence. To say nothing of the re- mains of the Roman wall, there are the Tower of LOndon-that sweet boon," as Artemus Ward described it-West- minister Abbey and Hall, the Temple, St. PauIs, and old churches and houses lnnumerable.
 His Literary Pilgrimages.
 A conspicuous characteristic of the American visitor is his enthusiasm for literary pilgrimages. The average Englishman, Londoner or provincial, exhibits nothing like the same zeal in tracking the footprints of our great writers. St. Giles, Cripplegate, the burial place of Ebhn Milton, is probably visited by ten Americans for every one Englishman. How many Englishmen could tell you where Oliver Goldsmith was buried? Thousands of American visitors have stood reverently beside the grave. Memories of Doctor John- son are another powerful magnet.
 In this connection a good story Is told of how the American enthusiast Is sometimes victimized by his fellow countrymen. Mir. George Ade was one day sitting in the Cheshire Cheese" over beefsteak pudding and a mug pf ale, when there entered a Chicago woman, Boswell in hand. She had been told that the great mans auto- graph could still be seen penciled on one of the walls. The walters declared they had never seen it, but with her dauntless Chicago spirit she began long search upstairs and down. While she was upstairs warm glow of ben evolence rose in Ade's heart, and, talk ing a pencil from his pocket, he wrote with quaint eighteenth century four ishes on the wall behind him "Sam Johnson" On her return from up- stairs the visitor promptly spotted the autograph and was overjoyed.
 'Is it not amazing" remarked Mir. Ade in telling the story, 'how much happiness we can give to others by these little acts of kindnessT' To the tourist from overseas even the great figures of the Victorian era wear halo of sancity. Carlyle's house is a constant center of attraction. Some