r part of the town, however,
even John was forced to admit that it was "different," after all.
Along Stratford's narrow, clean little streets stand many old houses
adorned with great oak timbers, quaint inscriptions, and carvings; and
quicker than all else, the sight of these, remaining here and there
between the more modern structures, makes one feel the antiquity of
the place. These houses totter a little, and lean their upper stories
over the street,--perhaps with a kind of curiosity to see better the
strange and more and more startling scenes which the centuries bring
forth. For instance, what must these ancient houses, which perchance
witnessed the passing of some splendid pageant of the "spacious times
of Queen Elizabeth," think of the bustle and prosperous commercial air
which the town has gradually taken on? What of the sight-seers whose
automobiles go tearing along, uttering weird and frightful sounds? No
wonder the old houses stand on tiptoe and bend farther and farther
over the street in their amazement and horror!

The young people were delighted with the odd little Red Horse Hotel.
As it was market-day, the wide street before it was crowded with
people, and down the middle was a row of queer, covered wagons, in
which the farmers bring their produce, and which are used as stalls on
arrival at the market-place. The little hotel is severely plain and
square, and has a passage leading into an old-time court-yard. Inside,
it has quaint little rooms filled with antique furniture, narrow
corridors, and uneven floors, with here a step up, and there two steps
down. Leaving their luggage in the rooms assigned to them, the party
immediately set out for "the Birthplace," as all Stratford people
invariably call the famous Shakespeare house on Henley Street.

"Is that it!" gasped John, as they stood on the opposite side of the
way and gazed across at the first home of the great Poet. "Why, I
didn't suppose it was as big as that! And it doesn't look old a bit!"

Shakespeare's birthplace has been too often pictured, and is far too
familiar to all to need any description given it here. Perhaps it does
seem rather larger than we imagined, and the outside certainly looks
surprisingly strong and new.

[Illustration: "WHY I DIDN'T SUPPOSE IT WAS AS BIG AS THAT!"--_Page
140._]

"But you know it now belongs to the nation," Mrs. Pitt explained,
"and is always kept in perfect condition. The last restoration was
finished only