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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).
$fTc courses in Medicine arc given in connection with the work of
Rush Medical College.
X
The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
,1 1
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That quaint old IflWfl mission town is
not only one of l&MSsLI k the mos lovely
seaside resorts ITHJ of Californ ia,
but also one of &lljrjLP$ 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
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ELECTRIC HOHTED TRAINS DAILY
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