ENGLAND REVISITED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 21 May 1912, Page 7

ENGLAND REVISITED

NOTES BY THE WAY

(No. XI.)

We left our kind friends. and took train foi' Durrifevmline. This old royal city was the favourite residence of David of Scotland, who married Margaret the Saxon. Here, like Edinburgh, it was occupied because in the olden time it was easy to defend. We saw the old ruin of the castle, arid Pittencrief Glen and Park, which was bought by Andrew Carnegie for £45,000, and, with an income of £25,000 P er annum, he placed iti the liands o£ trustees for.improverhent. It was a gift that reflected much on the humanity of this ' millionaire. There is no mistake he has done well fo'r the place of his nativity. We visited his house later on. The lady iii charge of the building took us upstairs. It was a two-roomed cottage. There were two places for sleeping; a thick wall between them. We looked into the visitors' bo'ok, and saw. that 62 Mayors of England and Scotland had paid an official visit to the cottage, and had inscribed their names. We saw the name of Carnegie, who wrote in a very good hand these words : "One need not be ashamed of honest poverty when one has a heroine for a mother." All honour to the man who could speak so well of his mother ! This man of millions has . given to Dumfermline a free library. His donation to this town of 25,000 people lias been what may be termed magnificent. 1 cannot doubt that they must have reached near a hundred thousand.

We went by motor-car to an oldfashioned place by the seaside, called Limekilns. It was very old-fashioned. They now have at a distance the new naval base of the governirent. Most likely it will revolutionise this place, as already the working men are living there who work at the naval base. Charleston, another village, is 011 the coast. It was probably built when Charles was king. It is pretty ancient looking. We left the coast and came back to Dumfermline. We went to a linen factory—"Damask Linen Manufactory" it is called—and was shown over it. It is well worth seeing, for-there was a reproduction of the tablecloths for the Coronation dinner. ' It was manufactured of linen and silk. In the centre was the crowns of both King and Queen. All round the borders the different countries were represented over which he is King. It was an elaborate piece of work, which, I think, they were very proud of who had to do with it." We left Dumfermline for Edinburgh, stayed there two days, and to'ok train for Oakworth, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, to see some friends of a young 'man in New Zealand. We passed through Leeds, and arrived at our destination, and were met by a brother of our friend. We were treated well. Our location was an ancient farmhouse, built in about the year 1662; but for all that it was very complete. It was a place that the father had farmed successfully at £2 per aerie. The ducal landlord suddenly raided the rent to £3 per acre. It was hill land, and the farmer had improved it by good cultivation; that is, he made hirri pay for his own improvements. That is about as hard a condition as it is possible to make. We are on the- slope of a hill from whence we can see the church, in which the father of Charlotte Bronte ministered, ■ find where she died. Down in the valley are the chimney stacks of factories, to take advantage of the streams. They are very clean, and all the people look healthy about them. It is a place one would think was conducive to health. We spent a Sunday there, and went to a Wesleyan Church, both morning and evening, and there" was no collection. That was unusual; but there were two capital sermons. Oyer the other side of the hill is a Baptist Church. We went there in the afternoon,, and saw the decoYations, 'as' it was anniversary day. We went into a factory, and noted that it is not 'all factories that make shoddy. We we're informed there was none o'i then:' tliat did, make it in that valley, and in my opinion it was correct, for we saw the material before We took a trip to Morecombe,. a place on the west coast for holiday making. It was of the usual sort, with a long front, and all the supposed requisites for pleasure for the people who patronised them. We were to meet a friend who. was i,n the building line. He was very kind, and took us for a good drive round the country, where we saw the oldest church in England. We drove to, the station, and took train again for .Oakwortli. The time for our stay had expired, and we left for Leeds; and Doncdster. This is an old racing place. • It is .Very clean. We called upon a railway man, wnos'e son we met in New Zealand. < They entertained us for the night. We had a good lo'ok at the old and hew town, and could see that it was progressive. We left for Peterborough. It is the seat of a Bishop. We visited the Cathedral, and saw the beautiful facade. It is a progressive place. There are no less than three lines running into it; but they seem to be jealous of each other. Whether it was the effect of the great strike or not I do not know. A citizen introduced himself to us, and said Peterborough is increasing in population. It has increased this census by about 10,000. We saw the fair in the centre of the town ; a square, I suppose, that had been left here for the weekly sales. ' There were butchers and fruiterers, right down to old clothes. The rest of the streets in the old town were very_ narrow ; but seemed to do' a good business. We stayed there oiie night, and the next day took train for London, and reached oui* stopping place at. Penge. The following is. the letter sent by Mr Carnegie when he made the gift mentioned above : Skibo Castle, August 2nd, 1903. Gentlemen of the Comir ission,—The trust deed, of which this may be considered explanatory, transfers to you

PittencrielT Park and Glen, and two million five hundred, thousand dollars in 5 per cent, bonds, giving you an annual rental of twenty-five thousand pounds, all to be used in the attempt to bring into the monotonous life of the toiling masses of Dunfermline more sweetness, and light. As it is the masses you are to benefit, .it follows"you have to keep in touch with them, and must carry them with you; therefore do not put before their first stfeps that which they cannot take easily, but always that which leads upwards as their tastes improve. "Pioneers always ahead" would not be a bad motto for you. Gratefully your obliged fellow townsman, ANDREW CARNEGIE. (To be continued.) J. PIPEtt.