Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1923-12-27

the man said he couldn't keep us.
That was, as the Japanese say,
taihen (awfuD for we had a good
deal of baggage; the hour was late;
and we were strangers. But he
couldn't keep us for he had to find
outside quarters for ''umteen" or
more of their "own people" A
good woman, one of the mothers we
had seen in France. came forward
with some kind of a proposition,
and making the story brief, he said
we could stay and they would get
other quarters for some of those
they were providing for.
Come along, now, with the boy.
We will let you accompany us to our
room in this rambling place erected
in an emergency on account of the
war. With some difficulty. the door
is unlocked revealing a narrow room
with two single beds, one in the cor
ner 10 the left as you enter; the 9TH
er on the right hand side at the far
end OF the room, the two almost
meeting in the center. These with
the wash stand and perhaps another
piece of furniture, almost fill the lit
tie chamber which is only enclosed a
bit higher than your head. Above
this the roof hangs, not much heavi-
er than the clothes on these two poor
beds, but we dropped on our knees
and thanked God for the place
though it was a cold and cheerless
spot Next day arrangements were
made in the neighborhood of the
British Museum, which being cen
I trally located, gave us easy access to
the numerous historic points to be
seen.
If YOU go to the Tower of London
with an Eiffel Tower or a Washing
ton Monument in your mind, you
have to become disillusioned in find
ing this is a "tower" more in the
sense Of stronghold than something
lofty It is an aggregation of build
ines now serving as barracks for sol
diers and rich museum especially
of armor and like things Here is
a chopping block followed out to re-
ceive the neck of the human victims
of this miserable AK displayed along
with it. and this is Sir Walter
RdlplSI ) cell, IOI illS HdS DtSil q
palace, a fortress and prison. Here
kings, queens and princes have lived
and died; been crowned, murdered,
imprisoned and deposed. Out there
is a small piece of pavement set with
a brass plate marking the scene of
the beheading of Anne Boleyn, Cath
arine Howard, Lady Jane Grey and
numbers of others. Spot of dis
grace.
AS we go about, we view highly
ornamented cannon from Malta,
relics of Blenheim, great inventory
book 21X15x11 inches thick, which
come time ago came to light and has
been made part of the exhibit. In
one of the structures called Wake
field Tower is a small room unsur-
passed in interest, by anything else
on the grounds, think. 1t is the
regalia room, or treasure house, in
which are displayed the crown
! Jewels of the British Empire, col
lection whose value, intrinsically and
from association, is so great that we
| have probably never before gaZed at
one time on so much wealth. In the
center of the little room is a great
octagonal. showcase, well protected
! by iron bars and the guards on duty,
III which repose crowns, scepters,
i salt cellars. etc., in rich profusiOn
and all are of gold and gems except
some pieces which are gold plated
There is a great fagon and broad
communion tray; a golden eagle of
considerable antiquity; and in this
ecepter is fitted the largest diamond
ir the world, a large, robust speci-
men OF this aristocratic family, the
size of an egg and glittering "like
sixty" In cases around the room
are other precious objects of some
what like nature. But the immense
value beneath your gaze performs
very small service. Apart from oc-
casonal removals of various pieces
for state occasions, these articles
are not used. Naturally there are
rautitudes of British subjects who
are never permitted to come here
and feast their eyes on this precious
treasure, SO what's the good of it all
anyhow? OF course you and / want
tc preserve our own little keep
sakes and memorials and trinkets,
and if we are to be allowed this
privilege, shall nation be deprived
of the same favor? Still, l ask,
might this tremendous amount of
wealth be used somehow for the
greater good of the people? What
would you do with it if it were
yours?
Great Britain has one thing at
least which cannot be matched else
where on the globe and that is the
educational aggregation of things
ancient and interesting, in the great
pile called the British Museum. |
Please Danish ali thought of "cheap |