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.