The Ottawa free trader., 1849-08-31
Travelling In Prussia.

as they were putting the horses to,
procured my ticket, and was putting
it into my pocket, when a bystander
rather Significantly said-"you had
better read it, sir" took his ad-
vice. These tickets for the convcn-
fence of travellers, were printed in
German and French. | found | was
to occupy the fourth seat fin the ve-
hicle, and was strictly forbidden to
change seats with my fellow-travel-
lers, even if such an arrangement
should be agreeable to all parties.
This despotic military discipline W as
sufficient indication of our nearing
the territory of his Prussan majesty,
Frederick William. However, when
once snugly ensconsed in my corner,
the Tyranny of his majesty gave me
but little concern; fell asleep, and
enjoyed as sound nap as could fall
to the lot of any man in land of per-
feet liberty. 1t was about three o.
clock in the morning-that is say,
daybreak when awoke the rock
ing Of the carliage-so soothing to
the drowsy-had ceased and my
slumbers broken. At first antici-
pated some evil-the loss of a wheel, ,
a horse fallen down, or some unlor-
tunate accident. | advanced my
head to the carriage window all was
right; there we were, alone, brought
to stand on one of the most beau
tiful roads ever saw. took my
ticket from my pocket, to gain, if |
could, information as to this unusual
method of travelling. Not a word {:
but as there was no prohibition to
my holding conversation on the Jour-
ney, why, | turned to my neighbor
and asked him if we had been thus
stationary for any length of time?
About twenty minutes" was the
reply.
"Twenty minutes ~ | exclaimed.
"Pray, sir, may |, without indiscre-
ton, ask what we are doing here?
"We are waiting"
"Oh! we are waiting. And pray
what are we waiting for ?"
The hour"
What lour?"
"The hour when, by right, we en-
ter the town"
els there, then, a fixed hour?
Every thing IS fixed in Prussia" d"
" But supposiny we happen to ar
rive before the ho!r"
"The conductor would be punish
, ed"
: "And if after?"
" Punished the sane"
"That's well Looked to, at any
rate" was my obseiv alton.
"Every thing is Looked to in Prus-
sia," responded my rcighbor.
bowed my head in token of as
sent. Not for worlds would have
differed from gentleman who was
so thoroughly impressed with the su-
periority Of the laws and ordinances
of his country; independent OF
which, he had been too complaisan,
in answering my many questions to
admit of my wounding his feeling
amour prOpe. saw that my silent
acquiescence to lis opinion had graf
fled him; so | ventured to resume
the conversation, by inquiring the
precise hour at which alone we hac
the privilege of entering Aix-La.
; Chappelle.
"Thirty-fvc minuts past three il
the morning"
"But if the watches and clock'
don't agree?' =
"Watches and clocks always a
, gree in Prussia"
There must be something more
than meets the eye, thought |, in thi'
said kingdom of Prussia, when ever
time seems regulated by dictatoria
; cdict. Really puzzled, | begged al
r explanation.
: "The conductors" continued III,
: companion, shave timepiece plac
4 ed before them in the cabriolet
which is secured by paddock, t.
: prevent all touching of the works t,
r suit their convenience. These ar
} regulated by the clocks of the Mes
sageries, and by them the moment O
arrival at each town and village i
ascertained, to our final entrec int
t Aix-La-C -Chapelle."
= "With all these precautions, no,
r happens it," l continued, d" that W
, are obliged to be waiting here o
e this bowling-green of a road?"
e 81 suppose the conductor, lik
e yourself, sir, fell asleep, and durin
), the time the postillions pushed on a
: too great a speed, and now they hav
: to pay for time orerspent."
: "Oh! if that's the case, l wi
F.; profit by the halt, gel ont of the car
h riaoe. and look about me a little.o