Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-06-17
Experience of "a BoOk-Writing En-.
gliShman.

AN EngllSn clergyman, we are in
formed, has been in Cincinnati for the
last few days, making observations and
gathering materials for d book which he
is going to write and name g Glimpses at
America" This is the first point at
which he has tarried to scrutinize Ameri
can institutions, understanding this to
be representative city of the United
States, where he could get at the whole
business in nutshell, as it were. He
says he has already collected enough of
the raw stuff to make 1900 or 3,0OOpages
in his book, including variations OF his
observations, theories thereon and foot
notes, but that he will probably have to
boil down what he has got to 400 or 500
per cent above proof, so as to get it into
the book, which is designed to be one
that the multitude can handle and peruse
conveniently. He, however, fears that
the boiled-down portions Of the great
work will be too strong to be taken in
| large quantities at a time, or without di-
luton, by English readers.
While Gu his way from New York to
this place the En- glishman had some ex
periences which he will perhaps detail
in his book. He met on the train a gen
tleman who said that three card monte
was the favorite pastime of ministers of
the Gospel in this country. The English
traveller lost all he bet on the cards.
After long and pleasant chat with the
honorable legal gentleman, one of the
Associate Judges of the Supreme Court
OF the United States borrowed forty dol
lars, and gave him for security bank
check for $250,000, payable in god. The
Englishman still holds the security, and
has not as yet negotiated the paper. The
Secretary of the Treasury, great and
absent-minded man, made the tourists
acquaintance, and got off at one of the
stations, taking with him, by mistake,
the Englishman's Ulster overcoat The
Englishman has written to the Secretary
about the coat but has as yet received
no reply.
When the clergyman arrived at the
depot here he was surprised at the cor
diality with which he was welcomed. AS
he alighted from the train there was in
waiting to receive him large and en-
thusiastic delegation of express-wagon
drivers, and he was SO overwhelmed at
the greeting as not to know what to do
-Four warm-hearted yeomen seized and
tugged at his carpet-bag, three hauled
him about blythe coat-tails, and one took
him by the throat. He would have been
glad to avail himself of all this glorious
reception, and ride in all the wagons at
one time, but before he knew he and his
luggage were thrown by a powerful man
into one of the wagons and rapidly
driven away. After short drive he was
set down before hotel, with a beer
saloon in front, which the driver said was
the only tirst-class house in town, except
Pickett's, on Sausage Row, and that was
patronized only by river men. The
driver further said that he was now run
ming at low rates, SO as to break down
the other express lines, and would charge
a fare of only thirteen dollars and fifty
cents. The Englishman asked if he
didn't think he could bust up the lines
quicker by little more cutting in the
rates, whereupon the Englishman was
knocked down and kicked in the ribs.
At the hotel the reverend traveller
| scraped up the acquaintance of a man
with red nose and plain dress, who
said he was d capitalist, and, as they
|
some of the stOne-fronts which he had
built The Englishman had before heard
of the simplicity of manner of the
wealthy men of this country, and was
not so much surprised, therefore, to find
that a leading one of them lived in a
saloon, and partook of free lunch. The
capitalist kindly offered to act as the
guide of the literary stranger during his
sojourn in the city.
They have visited and inspected many
places of interest, taking copious notes
By advice of the guide, in order to keep
popular and make the tour of observa
ton success, they have called in often
in their rounds and got drinks, the clergy.
man taking sarsaparilla and paying fol-
the treats. 9s
To get an idea of the musical and dra.
matte culture of the people they visited
the National Theater one night, and sat
through its performance. The clergy
man is of the opinion that the taste of
the people of our country in this respect
is not educated quite so highly as in En-.
gland. He is not favorably impressed
with the manners OF our audiences, who
with hats on and feet perched on the
backs of seats, chew plug tobacco, smoke
cigars, drink beer, whistle, swear at the
actors and occasionally have fight. The
acting on the stage, too, principally by
colored people, he considers strained,
unnatural, exaggerated and not by any
means such as cultivated English audi.
ence would commend. He emphatically
states that never in his life in fashion
able English audience did he see women
drink beer and chew tobacco, and can
not but feel called upon to severely crit
icise such proceedings in America.
The foreign visitor has expressed ad
miration at the rapid facilities employed
baro for tbo 5;ctrih,1+ioo of Win .,,x