According to the record of William of Malmesbury, Swithin was a great scholar in his day, and was chosen by King Ethelwulf as the tutor of his son Alfred. This was the Alfred who afterward became Alfred the Great. He was the king who was scolded by the old woman for burning the cakes.
When Alfred came to the throne he made his old tutor bishop of Winchester, and Swithin became a very great man indeed.
In spite of his greatness he was a very modest man, and did not care for pomp or show.
When he died he left strict instructions to the monks of Winchester, that he was to be buried in a "vile and unworthy place," outside the monastery.
The fame and piety of this good man lived after him, and when many years had passed, and the memory of his dying wishes had grown fainter, the monks determined to adopt the good Swithin as their patron saint, and give him a magnificent resting-place inside the cathedral.
Some of the older monks protested, but their objections were overruled, and a day was set apart for transferring the good man's bones to their new resting-place.
According to William of Malmesbury this act was performed on July 15th, and St. Swithin's bones were no sooner lifted from their humble resting-place than the most awful storm of rain that England had ever known burst over the country. For forty days it rained without ceasing, until another flood was feared.
The monks were terribly frightened, and expressed great sorrow for the mischief they had done, but they did not give up their prize. The bones of St. Swithin were kept in Winchester Cathedral, rain or no rain.
Ever since then, according to the same chronicler, if it rained on the 15th of July, or St. Swithin's day, it was sure to rain every day for forty days.
A new postal regulation has just come into use.
It is at present only in force in thirty-six of our principal cities, but if found to be as satisfactory as it is expected to be, will be used all over the country where there is a free delivery of mail.
This new plan provides for a house-to-house collection, as well as delivery of mail, and also for the sale of stamps by letter-carriers.
This is accomplished through the use of a combination letter-box, with which each householder is supposed to supply himself.