The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-12
Railroads and Funerals jn England
Prentice Mulford's London Letter In San Francisco
Bulletin.

Bulletin.
The RAILWAYS within London run right
over the lctlse-tops. For miles one looks
down chlmney-pots and into garnet Wlndo"s.
It requires halt an hour to get fairly clear OF
the city from CharinS Gross station. very
many people travel third class They
sink style in consideration OF tile expense.
"Wlat's the odds rs long is you're Happy
Tbird-clasS cars have generally three or -four
commitments. each furnished with two uD-
cushioned seats. The partitions between
each compartment are only breast high.
The windows are small and without
blind or curtain. Third-cE'sss cars go
nearest the engine, SO that in case OF
q smaslI-up your turn comes first. All
railway carriages are painted iii the dinSiest
hue to be devised by mclinchohc British
fancy. There is no iinniication OF brass or
gilt about the engines, and nothing like tho
amount of machinery externally display us
with ours. They are, i'll appearance, sober,
ponderous, dngy, powcriul-and rejoice not
in names but numbers. There is no "cab.
On some is Il sort of shield with two
large lookout holes. The carriages have
no such complicated trucks us ours. The
car-whcels seem much lighter. The trucks
are kept in the perfection Of order.
From end to end none but employee, are
allowed upon them. There is no walking the
track for recreation here. The cmbank
ments are finely soddcd and in many places
utilized for cabbage and potato patches
Many Of the country stations are surrounded
with flower gardens, and ut some / noticed
the name Of the station grown upon the bank
in white or yellow flowers, the letters being
near two feet in length. At others it was
similarly marked, or rather laid with white
Gladstone. The book, orange, apple, pea
nut, Gg, and prize-candy peddling curse, pc
cuiiar TO our railroad system, devised anC
carried on 10y precociOus boys for the pur
pose of promoting indigestion and torturn.
travellers, have not yet encountered. Re
freslllnents arc served at the principal sta
tons, rs with us. The stands are tcrlnct
ebuttcts." Females preside at them, Away
young and handsome.
The British bar-naid is generally hand
some. Beauty is quite effective at the beer
pump. All bars must be closed ut l O'Clock
in the morning, and OH Saturday nights II
II. ON Sundays they open ut and close a
5 in the afternoon. The bars in manly ease:
nre cut up i'll compartments. There is ;
"jug and bottle entrance" devoted entircl,
t. the filling Of these vessels for family Use
Then. there is a "privatc bar" for gentle
men, and another for the great unwashed. i
YOU are walking out with Polly Ann ant
Polly be dry and you are dry, you may take
her INTO the "Public" and treat her without
either of you losing good name or character
About many of these "Publics' may be- seen
old women in the seediest rags I ever saw
forwhom gin is the staff oflir.
Rags here are ground up and used for fer
tilizinG material. | think this is ultimately
the disDosition made OF the old women above
mentioned. All about London you see all
yertiscd "chcap funerals You can be-
Shr0udcd, cotlined, and buried, with tou1
mourners, for about SO. or course these
mourners don't know who you are VIVA
you are, where YOU came from, or where yol
are going co, but they will look as if you wer
the last friend they had or expected 10 hav'
OH earth, with Il yard of black Grape dang
ling and waving from their hats like so man,
pirate flags, and when you are covered M
they will adjourn 10 the nearest publ,
Aouse, and over their porter aud cheese pl4,,
for some one else to die rs soon us possible
with cash enough to be mourncd over. n,
cash here, no mournerS. All these protc>
sional mourners have red faces and bottle
noses. black suits. secondhand, well inket
at the seamS, and black gloves one-third to,
large. The friends and relatives within tin
carriages have all the outward semblance o
woe on them. The last appear contented
and many never enjoy a ride i'll coach save
OH such lnournful occasions. Who ever saw
any one shed tears ut Il city funeral? Ii YOU
would have your friends sweep not for mt
when ] aln gone" die III the metropolis
Tears are for the country, along with dew
flowers, sunshine, snakes, and hop-toads.