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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 9, 1904)
, jnasir- i i Til I i I l ' i lTWi. yp..p-y-if n;-;.-, - J.'.STVI Till tTbc Dntlp fUbraefcan it t r i flfe Cbose ot Otber Days -fife LETTER FROM SYRIA. Dear Nebraekan: A few more impressions of my Jour ney if your readers will bear with mc. The cathedrals of England are one of the great attractions to tourists. Every one 1 visited had many sight seers even In bad weather. And this is not surprising, for In them Is em bodied In permanent form the product of the skill of her sons in past ages. In them is reflected, too, much of her past history. Wealth untold has been expended on them. The richly carved oak In the chairs, fine altars and glorious stained glass windows were lavished, but at the expense usually of the poor people of the diocese or the lclnlty. though now and then a rich man would erect one in the hope of thus winning his houl's salvation. One has mingled feelings of awe and wonder as he enters these tombs of the dead for most of them are such. One imagines the dead coming forth from their stone tombs ad sarcophagi in the large niches in the wallB; or along the aisles; or from below the marble slabs Inscribed with the virtues and glories of the departed, and long for gotten. Many of these are still legible If you haven't forgotten the Latin "cum clauses" Professor Barbel so faithfully tried to drill Into your hard pate. Usually a musty odor pervades the atmoBphero of these ancient edi fices, but this la more than offset by the wonderful beauty of the art glass win dows which' shower down upon you a brilliant Hoods of colors, displaying exquisite pictures, representing biblical scenes and personages. A most Interesting sight in the old refactory in Chester cathedral was a staircase and pulpit of Btone, carved out of the wall of the room, where pious monks used to read the scriptures to their fellows eating below. This, to keep their minds intent on pure thoughts during the meal! It Is in a good state of preservation. The choir In CheBter cathedral 1b very large and finished in oak richly carved. It must have been the work of many years labor. Every seat is a work of art. I know so little about architecture that I will not venture to describe such features. An Interesting sight at Chester was the old wall which still remains. It onclrclcs the city and Is In good pres ervation, being used as a highway. I etood on the spot whence King Charles received his" defeat years ago. (It costs money, however, to get such "priv ileges." Never leave your hand out of your pocket if you wish to see the sights. You will be "held up" for your last penny especially In Italy or Tur key.) Stratford-on-Avon is a pretty little English town, but not very different from many others, save in historic In terest as the place of Shakespeare's birth. The reputed Shakespearo house Is well preserved by a society organized for that purpose. Its fireplaces are huge affairs and the walls and ceilings are built of great solid timbers, many of them as sound as- when put in, though some have been removed, and others clearly show the tooth-marks of time. There is an interesting collection of Mbb. and early editions or the immor tal's works. Very little of the original furnituro remains. Some portraits are on the walls. Most Interesting to me were the names of Walter Scott and Thomas Carlyle scratched by those worthies themselves, on- one of the window panes, at the time of their visit to this shrine years ago. Tbero is an old church in the town where Shakespeare and his wife Ho burled. They are interred beneath the floor;fand stono slabs upon which are Inscribed in old English letters their names, mark the places. ThiB was the only church' to which Ji had to pay, ad mission, though others on tho Conti nent mado charges- fof special priv ileges: Aha- Hathaway's coltage is about a milo out of town. It is a quaint dwell ing, large and In good condition. M-uelr'i of tho furniture and many dishes of ABd'b time, at least, still "remain. AT wpode'n bench near one of the huge fireplaces Mb pointed put as the plac,e wboro "Wlllio" used to sit when woo ing Ann. I sat In hb place -just to get some inspiration, and experienced) If his ghost, like a mad Nemesis, is pursuing me, In wild rage at my au dacity, I have not yet suffered ill at its hands. I may say these houses look much as the pictures we see at home represent them. The latter are photographic re productions, and of course accurate. This Is, In fact, true in general of all noted places of Interest that I havo Been. To my mind. Hum's birthplace is more romantic in appearance than Shakespeare's. though loth show touches of the artificial since becoming sources of revenue. The road leading from Hums' cottage to the "auld brig" and passing the "auld kirk" where Tarn O'Sbanter witnessed the dance on tho night of his wild ride, and the country through which It passes are most pic turesque. Nor does the "Avon" com pare In beauty 'with the "Doon." Pos sibly a Scot is prejudiced, but even wore the Doon the more beautiful now. it might have been the very reverse one and two or more centuries ago. A few decades sometimes change the whole face of a countryside. I had an impression once that Ox ford was a "perfect dream" an ideal place for quiet meditation and deep study, but such an Impression was n false one, though I think none the less of her as an institution of learning, capable of conferring the highest de grees? on her sous (not on her daugh ters, for, (hough admitting women to study, no degrees are granted them, but only "certificates!" Surely In some respect Oxford does not stand for progress). Oxford university is composed of n large number of colleges, mostly In too close proximity to oach other. All that we entered1 had quadrangles formed by Imposing, ivy-clad stone buildings, no longer white, but almost black and much worn by the weather of centuries. Each college has Its own library and chapel. The absence of trees was noticeable and very little grass was visible. Some was found in a few of the quadrangles, but often there was none. The bareness of the place made one wish to get away. Mer ton college was an exception. The town Is crowded uion the build ings of the colleges, on all sides, I think, but one. There are no beautiful campuses surrounding them as in many of our similar Institutions In America. The Thames not far away Is a modest little stream at Oxford, though It Is a mighty river at London. The students of Oxford have rooms and suites In the college buildings. I took a peep at some, whore, by the way, electricity was Just being intro duced; and found them well furnished and comfortable, though1 not lighted pnnugh because of the small windows relics, too, of the paBt. Some meals are served In the rooms of the students. Others In a large common room in strict accordance with Oxford's ancient traditions. Taking leave of Oxford after a peep at her art gallery' and one of her libraries I mean one of the common ones, for I just missed Bodlolnrlnce It closed too early1 I took an express train for London. SAM ANDERSON, '03. Beirut, Syria, Dec. 15, 1903. Secretary Ringer of the Y. MT Gt-A. has received a souvenir card from Mr. C. M. Heck, who was a fellow in phys ics here last year, and Is now studying In Berlin, Germany. The card Ib In the shape of a beer-mug and Is In scribed with the follo.wlng verse: Hero's to Nebraska once again, Here's to all Nebraska men, Hero's to her girls I can't forget, Here's to your Christmas, dry or wet. A university club was recently or ganized at South Bend, Wash., with a good membership. Walter Frederick Meier, University of Nebraska, '03', was elected president; Mildred Stanford, Stanford university, vice-president, and Benjamin B. HeustOn, Unlvorslty of .Minnesota, secretary-treasurer. MIbs Sylvia I. FJnlay. '03, will begin workr January ll In the schools at Loh'g'Beacn, Wash. . A. Sather. law '03, Is practicing at Bell Ingham; Wash. The Oliver Theatre F. C. ZEHRUNG, and O. T. CRAWFORD, Mgrs. Phone 354. Ccr. P and 13th "Tho IlHtHlHommt Thrntro In the Went," HENRY W. SAVAGE OFFERS GEORGE ADE'S SULTAN "Theres a Cherry in It" "IT IS A SCREAM" OF SULU MUSIC BY ALFRED G. WALTHAL Pretty Girls, Catchy Songs and Fine Productions. Full New York Cast of Favorites. PRICES MATINEE-50c, 75c $1.00. EVENING 50c, 75c, $1.00, and $1.50 The University of Chicago Professional Schools Medicine I Theology Law and I Education Each has a special Circularcf Information which will be sent on application. Each will be in session timing the Summor Quarter (June 17 September 3). $fTc courses in Medicine arc given in connection with the work of Rush Medical College. X The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois ,1 1 ta BarJb, That quaint old IflWfl mission town is not only one of l&MSsLI k the mos lovely seaside resorts ITHJ of Californ ia, but also one of &lljrjLP$ the most intcr" esting places in Ticro theworld. Here, hundreds of years ago, Christianity was first preached to the American Indians by the Spanish friars. The old mis sions are still there, and are vis ited every season by thous ands of tourists who travel over the UNION PACIFIC "The Overland Route" because it is the best and quickest line to that noted place. Via Omaha it is ib hour? quicker to San Francisco than any other line. ELECTRIC HOHTED TRAINS DAILY Full information furnished o.t.aftli'-Uian t E. B. SIOSSON, Gen. Agt ' i J M in.'-r V t ,,,' gM JiJW 1ST! -UM!F & '-f ' j i -. j