Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-10-21

Editors Note-The following is the
first of series Of diary letters writ
ten or made note of at various stages
during the writer's visit in Europe.
They are in no sense repetition OF
what has appeared before.)
Your motor bus Called "char-a-
banc in England) winds through low
| hills and over perfectly constructed
roads toward an old cathedral town.
You pass through little villages, each
quaint and cleanly with the red roses
of Northumberland riot of color over
each cottage wall.
In the distance you see the cathed-
raj spires. They tower high and are
conspicuous on the skyline as the ca
thedraI itself is located on high hill
above the river Wear and commanding
Durham. Soon you reach Durham but
before doing so the bus stops to give
you one Of the finest views of English
countryside to be seen anywhere. Ar
lists from everywhere declare this to
be one of the worlds most superb
views. The country drops away for
miles In the distance are hills. In
the foreground are farmsteads. Back
of them rolling downs. A church spire
here and there gives the necessary
touch of the picturesque to the scene.
Winding Streets
Durham is a city of narrow, wind
ing streets. You cross the Wear over
bridge the Romans might have built
From each street intersection you get
new and different view of the ca
thedral far above you. 1t dominates
the city, commands it, governs it. Al
ways is the majesty of Norman build
ing before you. The town jewellers re-
fleet this sentiment and are Influenced
by it. Manifestly they are proud to
live in an old English Cathedral city.
So we wind around the hill and past
an imense market place. Old build
ings surround it. They might be
picked from an era of the Middle
ages. No doubt they were built then
Then we plunge down hill and again
cross the Wear. Another massive
| beautiful bridge with the river far be-
| low you. Going down further and fol-
lowing a curving street our bus stops
| in front of an old English inn. If we
could wave a wand and perform ma
| glc, Transforming our modern motor
| bus into coach and four with the
smart chauffeur becoming position
IN knee breeches, we could easily
| ina CINE we were back in 18th century
England doing tour by stage coach
| from Edinburgh to London via the old
North Road. For it is the Old North
Road we are travelling on and this
| is the identical inn the venturesome
blades of those days stopped at when
they made grand tour.
Inn Quaint But Comfortable
| Inside the inn is comfortable but
quaint. 1t is called "The County
Arms" pronounced "Coun-tay Ahms'')
and deserves its name. Friendly, civil
attendants check us in and see us to
our rooms. We climb three flights and
follow a winding passage. Finally we
land in comfortable room at the end
of the hall, looking out over the roofs
of lower Durham. There at one side is
the inevitable fireplace There are no
steam or furnace plants in most Eng
] l1Sh hotels. Each room has it's indi-
v1dual fireplace and chimney leading
| therefrom. The roof is a maze of
chimney pots. The room has electricity
but the wiring is recent and run over
the ceiling. The bed is comfortable
but the commode contains a wash
basin, jar and pitcher. No running wa
ter in the old English hotels. At the
end of the hall bedroom has been
| converted into a '1avatory," as they
call a toilet room in England No bath
but you don't need a bath. In that
clean, mild air baths are not so neces-
sary
Downstairs, in the main dining
room, diner is called at 1880 Before
going in you have a bottle of ale at
the bar. A bright-faced, golden-haired
barmaid waits on you with a smile.
| AS we say here she is "a perfect lady"
| Strictly business but friendly and
courteous.
The dinner is served in a quaint
room. Good pictures hang on the
walls. A mass of cutlery surrounds
your plate. Privately you call this dis
play of knives. forks, spoons, ETC.,
each for the different purpose, "artil-
lery." Americans do not know just how
to use the various implements.
The glasses sparkle on the table,
the linen is snowy, the service excel
lent. A dean of walters, assisted by a
boy and girl serve you. Hors-douvre,
peas, potatoes, bread and butter, tea
and apple tart. A satisfying meal.
''This is the Life"
Then you drift into the lounge and
there although it is August, coal fire
burns in the CRATE. 1t is warmly
pleasant too. On the walls are pic
lures from Dickens scenes. Books lie
on the tables. The chairs are COM
| Portable and deep. They invite use.
You light pipe and the potboy brings
you sparkling glass of bitter. This
is the life. E.
Good conversation fills the room. A
couple of English upper class, discuss
| sports and government A couple of
Americans drop in and you talk to
them. One tells you that Bryan is
dead. The first you knew of it. Hadn't
seen newspaper for weeks
| Up the street fair is on. A couple
of us stroll by and see the crowds of
merrymakers. Everybody seems to be
enjoying life. But the cathedral beck
| onS so we pass the carnival and
climb the hill along a winding street.
| We pass through a medieval stone
gate with bastions on either side It is
the entrance through the long wall
which surrounds the cathedral
At the head of the walk and ada
cent to the cathedral is a comfortable
looking church house. 1t is surrounded
| by flower gardens. A lady resident
kindly gives us a book on the cathed-
raj and talks to us about it in flaw
less English. She says Cromwell