The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-12-02

the whole world and stop all the
things human beings thought they
\ could do! It's not always white, tho,
| one day it was a thick yellow. Pea
soup fog" they call it! In Browning
| there's a line which says, To feel the
fog in my throat but never realized
\ till last week how literally true that
| could be. You do really feel 1t in your
| throat and eyes.
Saturday, Arrnistice day, I saw a
most impressive sight. I'd planned to
go to St. Paufs cathedral at IL for the
service. 1t is a most wonderful place
at any time, and the beauty and i'm
mense dignity of it are in exact keep
ing with the spirit everyone seemed
to feel that day. However, I did not
succeed in getting to st. PauIS by IL,
but found myself near the stock ex
change at five minutes to IL. There
was huge crowd constantly increas-
ing, since the memorial to the city OF
London troops is there The stock
exchange is at the intersection of sew
eraI streets with the Bank of England
and the Mansion house-the lord
mayors residence-on the corner
forming triangle with it. The whole
street and the space between the three
buildings was simply packed with
people, about thirty thousand in all,
at the first stroke of IL from the bells
of nearby St. PauPs, hush fell on
the crowd, and something I don't
know what, which you could almost
stroke of IL the first guns were fired
ana then two minutes later the second
gunr. In between there was absolute
silence, people seemed scarcely to
breathe-and that one of the busiest
corners of London. After the second
gun there was a hymn, God Save the
King" 1t still seems strange to me
10 hear that tune, and not the words
of America. Then the bugles sounded
and the lord mayor and the bishop of
London went on with the ceremony
Of laying the wreath on the memorial
1 happened to be standing right by
the steps of the Mansion house wnen
the lord mayor and his procession
came down to go across to the monu-
nent. His state dress and trappings
are certainly gorgeous-he wears
scarlet and a three-cornered hat the
same color. There's much gold braid
on the gown and a fur collar. In some
conspicuous place, usually on a chain
around his neck, he wears the keys of
the city of London-in some English
towns this is just one huge key,-as
a most important part of the insignia
of office. 1 remember when the
Prince of Wales came to Edinburgh,
the mayor pres 6nted him with tire
keys, as a part of giving him the |
" free 6om of the city" The custom |
is for the visitor to hand them back
with polite remarks about what good
custody they'll be in. The freedom is |
always given royalty and to most dis |
visitors.
I've been very busy as usual. Ger
tainly the two organizations for which |
I'm working are great, in being able
to get access to any and everything in
London of interest. And London is
an interesting place. I do love its
oldness, and its quaintness and its his
tory. Thanksgiving I'll probably go
to the celebration at the American
club, and think of you and the many
home friends in Topeka and else
where, and my many happy Thanks
yivings at home in the past and those
we look forward to in the future.
= y y
Mrs. r. A. Burch will be hostess to
Mrs. w. z. McVey's team of the Wom-
ems club at a luncheon Wednesday of
next week at her home on Tyler street.
Preceding the luncheon a meeting
will be held to complete the plans of
he team for a Christmas dance to be
given December Sth at Kellam hall.
y y y
Mrs. Murray is a singer of unusual
alent, and has a well trained and
beautiful soprano voice. She studied
lnder Walter Wheatley and Della
yaleri, of New York City, and had
,peratic work under Richard Hage-
nan, also of New York. Mrs. Murray