Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-13

4 signify w IlGfti~ 40 fII nls Eifss@s Is Ut
| Mr.. Blowman, Who was to accompany Us, lib
| orally guarantee their safety.
| Everything sas drlig1tfnl and worked /
miTably. Coupon here. coup thers; up iJIn
everywhere they we're all graciolsiv honJrei
! like cheques. twas universally agreed tn It IL
was the most charming way of travelling tn At
could be. We-that is, and Me. Bl1wmin-
| heartily wished the principle could be iatro-
duced into all The transac lions OF life. Dover
/ ostend, Brussels, all were strictly couponized
| then on the Cologne and the Rhine, where cou-
pons were administered largely. The only
drawback was that our small cash for cabs
porters, and so on, began to disappear with
alarming rapidity, and we discovered with
alarm that IL would not hold out to the end OF
the journey.
We were in great spirits. which we bestowed
that -, | and Mr.. Blow msn-liberally on dry,
elderly, wiTy-h BritOn, one Of the true
type we all know, who who has the air of taking
his bank abroad with him. That sort of com-
mercisl super iority is really uuendu rabie and
We noticed that he smiled contem ptuously as
The guard came in and tore out our coupons.
4" You lind all sorts OF things answer, sup
Mr.. Bowman ans Iered him readily 1t
speaks for Itself" he said, 90 it is the one the
only system, and, depsud upon it, we shall all
have 20 come 10 II, whether we like IL or not
" am fond of the Old ways" said the Briton
. at least till the new ones are fairly estab-
lshed."
THAT was what all the social Tories sad
when steam came in. We'd never have had
railway If those principles had prevailed
Perhaps 80. | only wish TO know how the
thing answered. Have you found it satisfac
We had all the ardor of neophytes, AMI au-
swered. Had we not gone in for the thing
thoroughly? Could we show a greater proof OF
our confidence than having embarked so great
a stake in the natter
"LOok here, sir" said Mr.. BIowman, "we are
coupOned through, over and over again. See
this and this. Boat, rail, breakfast, coffee or
tea, with eggs, all coupon; meat ditto, a sepa.
rate or supplemental coupon, Dinner, bed, we
are all coupon. sir. We deal with our fellow
man in no medium but coupons, and look here.
l suppose the united contents of the purses of
the whole party woHld not amount to the sum
Of five shillings. What do you say to that, sir 2'
''It only seems to me that You have burned
your boat, as the saying is, I'D that you are
determined to give the system its fullest trial.
Such faith ought to move mountains"
"There are always sceptics in every age"
said Mr.: Bowman, with spirit. "This is an age
of scepticsm."
Not an age for putting all your eggs in one
basket"
on this we all set on this stuck up Briton, and
as Mr.. Bowman said happily, "couponed him
with a will" l must, however, think he was
tolerably good-humored under our roasting.
"Perhaps am Old-fashioned," he said, "but,
at all events, you cannot blame me fer waiting
ought to tell you that CuTebath is full to over
flowing now"
eve are independent, SIR" said Mr.. Blow
man, "and are provided for
The day passed over. Gradually our spirits
began to flag little, for were growing tired
Papa and mamma both showed signs of weari-
ness, and, > must say, pettishness; mamma wish
wards ten O'Clock we began to draw near to
Curebath. The starched BritOn was asleep
At last there we were! and the eNiles of St
GIundy's, as Mr.. BlOwman amusingly called
our party, found themselves set down IN Cure
bath.
1t was very bewildering-the strange town
the lights-the foreign language-the odd peo-
pie; and own, for the first time, felt my heart
sink little, and wished myself, as mamma did.
again in ST. GruDdy's. MIR. Bowman, who had
been appOinted-rather he had appointed him
seif-UlTectOT- chief and common holder n
the party-seemed to exhibit signs of despond-
eDcy, and was quite helpless and bewildered.
A number of German porters were clamoring
noisily round him, suppose demanding pay
ment for the luggage. He was quite cowed, and
came to us to the cab-dOOr.
"Give me some money for these fellows" h
sad. 81 haven't a halfpenny left, not as much
as could jingle on tombstone"
This poor jest he delivered with a CHASTITY
smile.
'You know have none, Mr.. Bowman" 1
answered somewhat tartly. ''YOu should have
kept some for this occasion"
GLOW could / 20 he answered as tartly.
What am | to do with them
Papa, in an sgitated way, said
'Oner them the cOupons-they are received
everywhere, you know"
''Stuff and nonsense, he answered roughly.
"They wouldn't take 'em, know nothing about
'em. What are we TO do %
Ii was embarrassing, and all his fault. Still
1t was really the only thing to be done. They
might accept them. So he drew out a break
fast with meat" coupon, and rendered it. 1t
ma suggested, what oddly enough proved to be
the only sensible course, that we should bid
them to accompany us to the hotel, where the
host would satisfy them. This was explained to
the III by signs, and seemed to be cordially &C
copied with many a "ja! ia !" and Mr.. Blow
man assured them, in the same language, that
at the Golden Stork they should be handsomely
remunerated.
Strange to say, this was received with cho-
rus OF rude laughter, and roar of ''Nein
nein ~ 1t was growing intoerable. In a mo
ment OF rage. and seeing that BltWmaU
more use than an old woman would be, / babe
the coachman drive on quickly, which he did,
with loud crack of Lis whip.
i felt that We were attended behind by our
prosecutors, but IT was a release. Inside in the
dark interior, Mr.. Bowman and / fairly quar-
relied. l said he ought not to have taken on
himself the direction of the party, if he felt
that he could not be equal to such little diff
Guilty as that He said that, if hadn't inter
tered, all would have gone we'll. 1t was not a
pleasant drive. We were now passing through
dark streets; every one seemed to be In bed
wished again that was back in my own snug
one at ST. Grundy's.
We had stopped in a long dark street, before
gloomy arch, with closed gates like prison.
There was gold stork over the door;
"Here we are" said l and Mr.. Bowman,
uttering an undeniable truism at the same mo-
ment-
The coachman got down, and voiced some
unintellgible sounds.
Tell him to ring the bell, ;" said.
Mr.. Bowman pointed to that mode of attract
ing attention, uttering vehemently the words,
- Bell, Dell
He did not, or would not, understand.
Ring il yourself" L said imp patiently.
He was becoming more and more stupid every
instant, but he got out, and did so. The man
stamped impatiently, and poured out volley
of gutturals. AT the same time the porter per-
secutors arriy ed, and, crowding around the wiz
dow, gesticulated violently at the large gate, as
if they were threatening the golden stork.
"They are touts for the other hotels" said
Mr. Blowman, in his stupid way, " and infuri-
ated that We did not go with them. What are
we TO do now ?'
Ring again, of course" 1 said, thoroughly
disguised with him.
Catch me take an underground bass abroad
again. OF all the spectacles of effete stupidity
He tried TO ring the bell, but they interposed
and gesticulated more furiously still. They
would not allow him to touch it even. 1t was
growing serious. My mamma began to cry.
Suddenly gentleman pushed through the
crowd. stood at the window. With what low
recognized him as our travelling companion
the starched Briton!
81 saw you were in some difficulty" he said.
81 so followed Can | assist you ?'
=" oh do, kind SIR" said in despair. "Get
rid of these wretches."
He spoke to them in German, and dozen
voices, including that OF the Cabman, answered
m 40 uyra has ,1aI ty.asr