SUMMER HOLIDAYS
IT was the midsummer holidays. "No more lessons," said Edith, as she
danced around the schoolroom. Soon, however, she rushed up to Miss
Green. "But I will miss _you_, dear Miss Green. I wish you were going
with us," and the warm-hearted little girl threw her arms around her
governess.
Miss Green was also to take a holiday, and visit her old home in the
fine old town of Canterbury, which is one of the most historic places in
England, best known for its splendid cathedral, one of the grandest of
the many cathedrals of England.
Edith herself was going to spend a part of the summer holidays in
Warwickshire, one of the prettiest parts of England,--a lovely rolling
country of fields, farms, thatch-roofed cottages, and great country
houses.
[Illustration: "SHE WALKED DOWN THE PATH BY THE RIVER AVON"]
While there they were to visit Stratford-on-Avon, the home of the great
poet Shakespeare.
Edith caught the first glimpse of the old church with a tall steeple,
where the great poet is buried, as she walked down the path by the river
Avon. There were visitors in the church, as there always are, for there
is no spot in the world more visited than this.
People come to this church from all over the world, and the American
cousins think as much of it as the English themselves. Edith stood
looking at the worn stone in the floor before the altar. It was
difficult to realize that under this lay the ashes of the great
Shakespeare.
They were alone in the church now; the other visitors had gone, and
Colonel and Mrs. Howard were resting in a pew, when Edith's childish
voice broke the silence of the old church, as she slowly spelled out the
strange inscription on the stone.
"Good frend for Jesus sake forbeare,
To digg the dust encloased heare:
Blese be ye man yt spares thes stones,
And curst be he yt moves my bones."
"How funny some of the words are, papa," she said.
"Yes, that is the old way of spelling, as it was in Shakespeare's time,"
answered Colonel Howard.
They then walked through the neat little market-town to Shakespeare's
house. It had been repaired many times, but always to look as nearly
like the original as possible.
Then they went to the famous old inn, the Red Lion, for their dinner,
where the American author, Washington Irving, stayed, while he wrote
some of his charming stories about English country life.
From Stratford, our friends went to Warwick, which is most interesting,
not only on account of the picturesque old town with its ancient houses,
but because of its great castle as well.
Edith's papa and mamma wanted her to see this castle, which is one of
the finest places in England, and one of the few examples of an old
feudal castle which is still occupied and kept as it was hundreds of
years ago.
"Is not this a lovely old room, mamma?" said Edith, as they sat at
breakfast in the coffee-room, or dining-room, of the quaint inn at
Warwick at which they were staying. It _was_ a pretty room, with walls
of dark oak panels. Around the room were hung many plates and dishes of
fine and rare old English china. A big, high sideboard stood at one end,
on which were many pieces of antique silverware, also some good pewter
mugs and pitchers, which are now very valuable, and some quaint old
"Toby" jugs, which are in the shape of a fat old gentleman.
Mrs. Howard poured out tea; and the sun sparkled on the dainty silver
and pretty china of the well-set table.
Edith enjoyed the eggs with crisp slices of bacon, and buttered toast,
while the neat maid cut for Colonel Howard slices of cold ham from one
of the huge joints of cold meat which stood on the sideboard.
Edith admired very much a glass case of stuffed birds just opposite her,
such as one will find in almost every country inn in England. Over the
door was another favourite decoration, a model of an enormous trout.
"I think I will let papa take you over the castle, while I rest here and
write some letters," said Mrs. Howard.
So Edith and her papa walked through the great gateway into Warwick
Castle, and were taken, with some other visitors, through many of the
fine old rooms, filled with magnificent furniture, and pictures, and
armour, and all kinds of valuable and ancient things. They saw the great
cedars of Lebanon, which were brought from the Holy Land, and planted in
the garden about 800 or 900 years ago. That's a long time, isn't it?
The beautiful, rare, white peacocks were also to be seen strutting about
the courtyard, spreading their great white tails to be admired.
Edith had much to tell her mamma while they were eating lunch. Colonel
Howard also told his little daughter of other beautiful houses he had
visited, among them Haddon Hall and Welbeck Abbey, which has a number of
the rooms built under ground. The owners of most of these great houses
in England allow visitors to go through the principal apartments on
certain days in the week.
Edith's papa and mamma had spent the preceding summer on the "Norfolk
Broads." The "Broads" are really lakes or rivers, nearly all connected,
so they had taken a sailboat and sailed from one to another, living
meanwhile on their boat. This is a most enjoyable way of spending some
weeks, and they had promised to go again some time and take Edith.
Near the "Broads" is a spot of interest to little American cousins,--the
town of Boston which gave its name to the American city. There is a
great contrast between the great bustling city of Boston and this little
old English town. There is a tower there that is called the "Boston
Stump," why, one cannot imagine, for it is a very nice church tower, and
does not look at all like a stump, though it stands high up above the
surrounding flat country like a mariner's beacon.
Our party visited Oxford as well, stopping just long enough for Edith
to see the gray, time-stained walls of the many colleges which go to
make up the great university of Oxford.
"This is where Tom is coming when he finishes at Eton," said Colonel
Howard, as he pointed out to Edith his old college building set about
with a beautiful green lawn.
From here they returned to Oldham Manor, but in August Edith went with
her parents to Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, where the yacht races take
place. Here are to be seen hundreds of sailboats, and big steam yachts
as well.
Little girls do not often go to Cowes, for yachting there is an
amusement for "grown ups." But Edith's parents wanted her to enjoy her
holidays with them as much as possible, so she usually went, too. Her
papa told her so much about the yachts, that she grew very wise and
nautical, and they used to nickname her the "Little Sailor."