Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-16
From M. d. Conway's Letters in Cincin-
natl Commercially
The American Abroad.
HOW HE MANIFEsTs HIMSELF UNDER ALL
"a DISCUSSES.

The London hotel-keeper or trades
man has voice and manner for Ameri-
cans, another for the rest of the world,
and, | fear, he has two sets of prices
also. A shopkeeper of long experience
told me that he had, perhaps, once or
twice in his life, mistaken a Southern or
a Western man for an English provin-
cial, but regarded his perception of a
New Highlander or New Yorker or a
Philadelphia as absolutely infallible.
But to my question concerning their
peculiarities he could give no answer
Even long travel in Europe does not
seem to obliterate them, however. The
other day, / was travelling with an
American who has been on this side of
the Atlantic for eight or ten years, and
whom I should not have taken for Amer
lean by his manner, voice, or pronuncis-
ton. But when we were with an Eng
lisb party, a bright, slender lady, who
might well have been thought Boston
ian. remarked OF something that ''it
must be worth a hundred dollars. The
American, hearing the word 'dollars,"
instantly said, s'What, are you an Amer
lean 2" 'sNo," replied the lady, ''but
as you were thought it best to put 1T
in dollars" The gentleman was quite
astonished, as he had in no way dis
closed his nationality, and fancied 1t I'M
recognized In the case OF the newly
arrived American the difficulty of ex-
planning this phenomenon is, OF course
not great. The American physique is
generally different from the English,
the accent very different-the Ameri-
cans usually giving an upward infection
at the end of sentence, when the Eng
lish give downward one. The English
voice is more fiat, more monotonous, and
usually in lower tone. But L cannot
help thinking that the difference is gen.
orally permanent because it is more rad
zeal, and blends with both the American
character and with the circumstances
amid which he is necessarily placed III a
foreign land. As to these
they must give him certain feeling OF
helplessness in the presence OF hotel
keeper or shopkeeper. de VIII meet
their demand without surprise, not
knowing the standard of prices. When
an Englishman would at least grumble
at the stated price, or perhaps walk out
Indignantly, the American discloses his
ignorance, and thereby his nationality,
by continued affability, even if he does
not purchase. But still more, there are
in the American certain traits which are
unconscious and habitual. For one
thing his sense of equality appears at
every moment, and that, in region Of
snobs and an atmosphere OF seryllltles,
constitutes very important distinction.
Every English shopkeeper is serylle, and
meets his customer as he would meet his
master. He does not expect to be treat
ed as a gentleman or an equal, and the
American who speaks to him respect
fully excites momentary surprise.
Again, the English people always come
bluntly to the point. No word ever
passes between buyer and seller except
such as is needed for the dry purposes
of commercial barter But the Ameri-
cans-the ladies pay;icularly--wiil con-
verse pleasantly With clerks and shop
girls, as if the latter were human beings.