LONDON--HYDE PARK AND WESTMINSTER ABBEY
ADELAIDE'S visit to Oldham Manor was at an end, and Edith was to return
with her to spend a week in London. You can imagine how excited she was
at the thought of all she would see in the great city.
Adelaide was so much improved by her stay in the country that she seemed
quite another little girl who waved good-bye to her good uncle and aunt
as the train pulled out of the little railway station. Miss Green was to
see them safely to the end of their journey and return again the same
day.
"Does not London look smoky and dark?" exclaimed Edith, as their cab
took them swiftly through the crowded streets.
"And this, too, is a very fair day for London," said Miss Green, "but
here we are in Langham Gardens," as the cab turned into a square with a
small park, or garden, in the centre, around which were substantial
houses. Much of London is built around such little squares. Soon the cab
stopped before a comfortable brick house of four stories with white
stone trimmings.
In front of each window was what is called a window-garden, an
ornamental box full of bright flowering plants. All the better class
London dwellings have these window-gardens, which do so much toward
brightening up the gloomy rows of houses. The front door was a rich
green in colour and in the centre was a big brass knocker. A few hard
raps brought the maid, and Adelaide was soon in her mother's arms, who
was greatly pleased at seeing her looking so well.
"Take Edith to your room, my dear," said Mrs. Stamford, "and do not be
long, for lunch will soon be ready."
Adelaide's room was a very nice one, but one could not see the flowers
and river from its windows, as from Edith's in Surrey. They looked over
endless roof-tops and smoking chimneys. Opening out of it was a sort of
play-room and schoolroom combined. Here Adelaide had her lessons with
her teacher, who came every day for that purpose.
"Oh, Fluff, lazy fellow, there you are," cried Adelaide, as a beautiful
white Persian cat slowly uncurled himself from the depths of an armchair
and came toward them with great deliberation, like the aristocratic
pussy that he was. He knew his own value, and had evidently made up his
mind that he would not show his little mistress how delighted he was to
get her back again, for fear of compromising his dignity.
"Is not he a beauty, Edith?" said Adelaide, stroking his long, silky,
white fur. Fluff, having at last given in, mounted to her shoulder, and
settled there with a soft murmur of purrs.
"He comes of a fine family, I can tell you, and at the last Royal Cat
Show, at the Crystal Palace, he took a gold medal; there it is hanging
up in the cabinet. There is no use trying to keep it tied on Fluff, he
only tries to lick it off all the time; besides, it would spoil his
beautiful ruff."
The two little girls had lunch with Mrs. Stamford, for Adelaide had all
her meals in the big dining-room, except tea, which she had with her
teacher, Miss Winton, in the schoolroom.
Mrs. Stamford was a widow and Adelaide her only child, so she and her
mother were much together and were real companions to each other.
"How would you and Edith like to go with me to Hyde Park this
afternoon?" asked Mrs. Stamford. "The king is to open the new Royal
Hospital, and as the procession passes through the park you will be able
to see it well."
"How splendid! We will really see the king and queen, aunty? Do let's
go," and Edith jumped up and down in her chair with excitement.
"Be ready, then, so that we can leave directly after lunch, for he is to
pass Albert Gate at three o'clock, and we must be early to get a place."
The park looked gayer than usual this afternoon, with plenty of
well-dressed people in fine carriages drawn by well-groomed horses and
driven by pompous coachmen; some of the handsomest carriages had
coachmen and footmen in bright-coloured liveries and powdered wigs. A
carriage like this you may be sure held some grand person. All along the
edge of the drives were rows of chairs; toward these Mrs. Stamford made
her way and selected three in the front row.
Presently one of the men who have the seats in charge came up, and Mrs.
Stamford paid him a penny for the use of each seat.
The crowd grew more dense and the big policemen were now keeping the
driveway clear.
Edith had noticed in the two chairs next to her a little girl,
apparently but little older than herself, and a boy evidently younger.
They had been talking eagerly together, and Edith could tell that
everything was new and strange to them.
Presently the little girl, who had been glancing at Edith, leaned over
and said, eagerly: "They will soon be here, won't they? I so much want
to see a real live king and queen. You know we don't have kings and
queens in our country. We are Americans. My mamma's name is Mrs. White
and I am Carrie White and Henry is my youngest brother. I have two
brothers at home in New York older than myself, and we are staying at
the Hotel Cecil."
The little girl poured out her information rapidly, before Edith had
time to say a word.
"We have a 'President' in our country; he drives around in processions,
too, but he does not wear a crown like your king," chimed in the little
boy. "I wish he was going to have it on to-day, but I suppose he only
puts it on for grand occasions."
"Yes," said Adelaide, joining in the conversation, "he wears it when he
goes to open Parliament. I saw that procession once. It was a fine
sight, better than this will be, because he and the queen rode in the
great gilded coach that cost ever so much money. They both had on their
crowns and rich red robes trimmed with ermine, and they smiled and bowed
as they drove along. The coach was drawn by eight beautiful
cream-coloured horses with harness of red and gold, and each horse was
led by a groom dressed in a red uniform with a powdered wig and black
velvet cap. Behind were two footmen, also in red and gold, and on either
side of the carriage walked the 'Beefeaters,' as the Yeomen of the Guard
are called."
"Oh, those are the men who take care of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of
London. We saw them," broke in the little boy.
"Yes," hurriedly went on Adelaide, "and before the coach rode a
detachment of the Royal Horse Guards. Oh, they are splendid! And behind
rode some more Horse Guards; then followed lots of carriages."
Mrs. Stamford had been listening to the children with some amusement.
"Are you alone, my dears?" she finally asked the little American girl.
"Oh, yes, Henry and I came all by ourselves from the hotel. Poor mamma
had such a bad headache she could not come, but she did not want us to
be disappointed, so she got the hotel porter to put us on the right
'bus, and he told the conductor where to let us off, and all we have got
to do when we want to go back is to ask the big policeman at the gate to
put us on the same 'bus again."
"Oh," gasped Edith in amazement, "aren't you afraid?"
She could not imagine Adelaide and herself crossing several miles of the
busiest part of London without Mrs. Stamford, the governess, or a maid
accompanying them.
"Why, no, of course not," laughed Henry. "It _is_ rather hard to find
the right 'bus, because they have got so many names all over them, but a
policeman will always set you right; they are right good fellows, your
policemen; they take a lot of trouble for one."
"Here they come," some one called out, as cheering was heard, and the
children jumped up on their chairs.
First came a number of mounted policemen, and then many carriages
containing great people, and members of the Royal Family. Then the Royal
Horse Guards, the finest regiment of soldiers in the kingdom, whose duty
is always to escort the king. They did make a fine showing in their
white trousers and red coats, their glittering breastplates and helmets,
swords clanking by their sides, and sitting so straight on their black
horses.
"They are fine," said Henry. "I wish Billy could see them."
"Hush, here is the king," said Adelaide.
An open carriage passed swiftly. On the high box sat the coachman and
footman in the royal liveries of a bright red, powdered wigs on their
heads, and on the lapel of the coachman's coat was a huge rosette. At
the back of the carriage stood two footmen, also in the red livery.
King Edward VII. was dressed in a field-marshal's uniform, and kept his
hand in salute a greater part of the time.
Queen Alexandra was seated on his right, and looked very sweet and
pretty in a violet-coloured dress and hat to match. She carried in her
hand a big bouquet of flowers. In a moment they had passed, followed by
more soldiers. The children had waved their handkerchiefs, and Henry and
Carrie cheered with the rest.
"We are going in your direction, and I will see you safely on your 'bus,
or perhaps you had better take a cab," said Adelaide's mother, to their
new friends, as they walked to the big gateway of the park.
"Thank you, ma'am," said the little American children, "but we would
rather go on top of the 'bus; it is more fun, and we can see more."
"Good-bye," the young Americans shouted, as they climbed on their 'bus.
"You must come and see us when you come to New York," called out Carrie,
as with smiles and waving hands the clumsy 'bus rolled them away.
"What would you like to show Edith to-day?" asked Mrs. Stamford of her
little daughter, as they sat at the breakfast-table the next morning.
"You will have a holiday from your lessons while Edith is here, so Miss
Winton will go with you to-day."
"Of course she must see Westminster Abbey, and the Tower of London, and
Madame Tussaud's, and the Zoo," said Adelaide, in one breath.
"Not all in one day," laughed her mother. "Suppose you go to the Abbey
this morning and drive with me this afternoon to Kensington Palace. Then
see the Tower to-morrow."
The girls were soon ready. "Let us walk, Miss Winton," said Adelaide, as
they crossed the gardens into the busy street. "There is so much we can
show Edith on the way to the Abbey. See, Edith, there is Buckingham
Palace, where the king lives when he is in London."
It did not look as handsome as one imagines a palace ought to look; it
seemed rather dark and gloomy, though it was a big building.
"You can tell that the king is there because the royal standard is
flying over the roof," explained Adelaide. "That is the Royal Family's
own flag. It is made of the three coat-of-arms of the three kingdoms
which compose Great Britain,--the three golden lions of England, the one
rampant red lion of Scotland, and the gold harp of Ireland. It is
different, you will see, from the ordinary flag of England, called the
'Union Jack,' and more elaborate and beautiful," said Miss Winton. "The
design of the 'Union Jack' is made of the three crosses of the three
ancient patron saints of Great Britain,--St. George of England, St.
Andrew of Scotland, and St. Patrick of Ireland."
They crossed St. James's Park, which is in front of the palace, and a
few minutes' walk brought them to the beautiful church of Westminster
Abbey, which is the pride of every Englishman.
Here, in front of the great altar, the English kings and queens have
been crowned, and many of them lie buried in the chapels which surround
the choir.
Edith saw the coronation chair, which is very old, and on which the
sovereigns sit when the crown is placed on their heads by the Archbishop
of Canterbury.
Many monuments of good and great people, as well as of kings and queens,
fill the Abbey to overflowing; for Englishmen consider it a great honour
to be buried under the stone floor of the Abbey.
But perhaps the most interesting part is what is called the "Poets'
Corner," where most of the great English poets are either buried, or
have monuments erected to their memory.
Our little American cousins will see there a marble bust of their poet
Longfellow, erected by admirers of his in England.
"Do you see that stone in the floor with the flowers on it?" said Miss
Winton; "that is the grave of the great author, Charles Dickens, who
wrote the touching story I read to you, Adelaide, of 'Little Nell' and
her grandfather, called 'The Old Curiosity Shop.'
"'The Old Curiosity Shop' itself is still to be seen, which is the same
house, it is claimed, that Dickens took for the imaginary home of
'Little Nell,' and where she took such good care of her grandfather."
As they left the Abbey, Miss Winton pointed out to Edith the great
Houses of Parliament, where the laws of the kingdom are made.
"Let us stop, Miss Winton, and have a glass of milk from the cows as we
go through the park," said Adelaide, as they walked on.
"Do they have cows in London?" asked Edith.
"Well, it does not seem likely, does it," smiled Miss Winton, "but these
cows have very old rights to be in St. James's Park, not so very far
from the Royal Palace, which you saw this morning. Many years ago,
before London became the biggest city in the world, as it now is, with
its millions of people, there used to be a big 'Milk Fair' at this end
of the park. Here were brought many cows, and their milk was sold to the
good people of London. Now all that remains of this 'Milk Fair' are the
two cows you see yonder, tethered under the trees eating grass as
composedly as if they were out on a country farm.
"The cows do not know how nearly they came to losing their comfortable
quarters lately; for a new street is being put through to connect the
park with Trafalgar Square, and those in charge of the work decided the
poor cows were in the way and must go. This nearly broke the hearts of
the two old sisters, who own the cows, and sell the milk. So they
petitioned King Edward that they and their cows might remain
undisturbed. The king kindly gave them permission, only they will have
to move a few hundred yards away from their present place so as not to
interfere with the new street."
Under a wooden shelter the children found the two old ladies filling
glasses with milk for the boys and girls who are now about the only
patrons of the "Milk Fair." Perhaps the sweetmeats and cakes that are
also to be bought there attract them as well.
"Now, we must hurry home," said Miss Winton, "or we shall be late for
lunch."
After lunch Mrs. Stamford drove with the little girls to Kensington
Palace. This is another palace belonging to the king. You see royalty
had plenty of homes scattered around, so when they got tired of one they
could move into another.
This palace is principally of interest because it was the first home of
Queen Victoria. But what the children like to see are the toys she
played with during her childhood in the old palace.
They are all kept in the queen's old nursery. Edith and Adelaide looked
at them with a hushed reverence, though they were plain, simple little
things,--some dolls and dolls' house furniture, not half so fine as the
toys they had themselves at home, for the queen had been brought up very
simply.