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Show KWtlssssssyetssi-ss-rt-isyj sejsysJ,.ejtjej-siMsII-J-.'WtJ't-s) ayji UCHWELD, Till- ANCIHNT. lVcrib2il by a Lehi V' who is located th .'re as a missionary, Dear ItissKn nn I Frlcmln: ltnviug been out treeting t momlitu we hrte pisfTsturnrd nnd find dinner prepared which Isnpprtciuted. While thn surging surg-ing sen of llfeU rolling mi I will en. lean r lo pen n few of my though', teeing It has boen sonio time -Incn 1 wrote you. Thn niessngo wo bear I-for all ro we enenunter all claaica ami rce the vnilstlcs In life and great has Ih.ch IhechatiEce lids Inst whiter which has-been has-been the Pe vet est Old Knglnnd lias witticPFcd for ninny years. TIiuUfiiihIh liave been fed nnd scanlly clothed from charity, unit many of tho aged hni' (Kissed fiom tlila (Infill woild, while many honest laborers, both male anil. female, after they hao struggled through llfo till silvery hnlrs crown llit i r heads, hao nothing but the Union or tho WorkhoiiFu staring them in the fare, while thou-ands nre. unmlcrhig and worrjing how they are going lo get enough money to bury themselves1, and instead of mourtillig when ono departe t lila llfo it is more n thr.o ot rejoiting lornt nearly ccry funeral tho onc-hurylng onc-hurylng their dead have to prepare a good dinner for the pall bcarcra or nil w ho participate In tho alTnlr. They also hao to furnish beer enough for them to drink, nnd in moat cases the family joins ui with them nnd all cat, drink nnd luive a good time, and In many cieoi Ihej nil get drunk licfore they depart. Tlio snino funeral eorvices are rend in nil churches, lor old nnd young, a-id in one church which is known throughout all parts"! the world, they put n Ilttlo hammer In one hand of the deceased a.ul a penny In Iho other. The hummer la to knock nt tho door of Peter, and the penny lo pay for entering Into the gatee of Heaven such la tho tradition of tho vorld in thia enlightened ago (us It is called) of tho nineteenth century At a sluglo glance one can aeo enough poverty, misery nnd sorrow to make him shudder, in fact there ia enough aln throughout tho world lo make the earth shako and tremble from center to circumference Tho weathor baa been tery fair there last two or threo weeks with showeis unite frequently, nml everything la beginning to look very pretty. Tho hedgea along the hints nre turning giccn, nnd tho trees nnd shrubbery Hro beginning to put forth their gieeti iiinnth', tho lurks, thrushes nnd cuckoos nro heard at n dlatauco nnd tho beauties ol nntnro aro beginning to sliinc, which gladdcna tho hearta, quickens tho spirits, nnd alter a shower tho fresh lireczoa Invigorate the ayatem. To see Iheec things In thecountry makes a person feel almost lis If ho wero in a pirndlae. But when ho enters the city the various kinds of birds nro silent nud a dull sound from mon nnd women soiling "fresh mnckercl" "fresh London water crcaa" "ho-ke po-ko," etc., and quite frequently tho dull throbs nud groans of num, women nnd children staggering under tho influence of liquor. Such is the dlllercnco between country and city eights I partly promised to givo a description of Lichfield nnd its cathedral and to fulfill my promise I will endeavor to wrlto n little about them I.lchfleld City la situated in Staffordshire. At one tlmo It was tho capltul of the count Tlio city probably owed I In cxlMenco originally to the fact that the spot on which it stands is the center of Knglnnd, nnd thero two great Unman roads crossed. This position renders the ch'y cney of ncccsa to people from Birmingham nnd the west of England, also from Nottingham, Leicester, Derby nnd other lurje (daces. J he city is eepedilly noted for its spilug wnter which is ptlnctp.illy need for brewing purposes and largo quantities of It are pumped lo Burton-on-Trent, Tho beer nu'trupolli, Lhlifleld, has population of nbout 8,000- Brewing is tho pnotlpal trade Lichlleld Is very old and like other old places has crookul Mrcetn nud narrow eldowalke. The greatest attraction ol tho clly Is tho cathedral which is quito a mammoth building, slated to besei'oml to none In Ihigland. It stniuls nn.r tho center ot tow n on an elcviitnl spot. To gaze upon its architectural archi-tectural Lenities is something grand TlicionrolllistntueacorercdwItliBoninu oemeiit which makes Iho front view very unique, The statue rptcncntlng Ohiist is in the center over n large niched window which Is filled with colored gl.tts of vnilo-ii figures. The other statues represent tho npostlea nod prophets and oth'i' leaders, some of the kings and querns, utc, Tho dimensions aie na follows: total length (exterior; 408 let t ; total length (interior) 370 feet; length ol uavo 173 feet; breadth of nave (V f.-et, brtadth ot transept 1 18 ft. 0 in; height of vaulting til feet, height of oeutral spire, from floor to top of cross, 208 ft. 11 in ; height of west spires, from the floor, 10J feet. There nre three elalxiialii doorways in the west front, the ci n. i r ones being tho largest. It hnialso lingo Iran doors on tho north, , east m.d couth which would stand a ver strong pri esiiro. l'littriiig through tho west door and aland at the end ol tho nnvcoiireet glance around nud tee many curious eights. Tho manager o the place khully ahows w through tin building and ojtp'.nins things to ut. Hi pi i in , ij in we ipis.n.iiiiewe rsJl'TlewtM1 1 nlio tikes ua n n number of prlvato ro,ins nnd duiueons tb-it wro niod foe various purposes, one limll.iz to mi. under ground p.issngn mills long which I (omircUd ulllillio old ruiiiH ut lieutlfShiw Castle. He lakca ualu(vl Ihe ir vale llbraiy where we reo Ihe nutogiihs nt dlilurcnt Kings, itlso the kings' seals, comu ciiiiiiou balls, ( arts ot lo.. b.s nnd many other old icliis o( the elcgo uf I.lchllcM. v One port of tho catliedr.il has lint l-ccn repaired ttoui tho nir.ct riceivtd ut that time. Tlieio is ryuie viry flnu sculpture wink and beaten biass nud lino stone (.untune. The cathedral contains u vi ty beautiful (hline ot bells. One ut tho limes unci heieus lu other parts ot lhiglnnd by the bull clilincrs begins, "Ilofy bible, liook dlviuu; Precious treasures, thou urt mine," There Ij a bcautltul green lawn all u rou nil the cathedral and many very (intiy Ilower beds aro tstllly arranged to relievo the view of sameness. 1 mu now laboring in covintry again and am well and happy 'and contented Our tlmo Is all occupied so wo do not have thuo to'get homesick. With kind regards and lx.Pt wishes lo all my friends I remain as erer, Fraternally, Ki. |