New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-30
FLUNKYISM on 4 RAMPAGE.

From London TeeOraph account Of Lord BeaoOnCetds
"Though she wipe hot her feet on carpetings.
Nor variegated garments fine" exclaimed Agamem-
non, when deprecating the h0nors paid him on
his return from Troy, Fame lifts high her clear
voice" But the officials of the Southeastern Rail
way living some centuries after Agamemnon, saw
no reason why Lord BeacOnsfed should be received,
Ms far as his reception rested upon them, with
austere simplicity. "1is office, they appear to
have said, to strcw the path with gorgeous carpet
ings Like purple pavement rich be all his way"
And it must be allowed that they aid their work
we'll. 70 be sure, the vast shed at CharnR Cross,
though a characteristic specimen OF railway archl-
mits itself with little grace to the decorators hands.
But the authorities dealt with the matter dlscreety,
above all when theyresOlvednotto attempttOO much.
The contrast between the arrival platform ana the
rest of the station the highest degree strik-
ing Over three-fOuTths of the space covered by the
wide aud lofty roof the usual busy life Of a great
terminus went ON. Trains arrived and started,
while crowds hurried to catch" the one and get
ms far away possible from the other; there were
greetings and leavetakings, aud all the varied IN
cideHts of modern travelling lie, Just as t1Ougn
nothing uncommon was taking place. But side by
side with all this the uncommon asserted itself III
the most charming fashion conceivable. Prose
and poetry elbowed each other, and the uilitarian
and the romantic were separated by nothing wider
than line of rails Imagine crimson-cOvered
gallery built ND against the western wall and seem
Ing TO rise out of bank of bloom, with here and
there palm fern to serve as foil tothe splendor
of color Fancy the lamp-DOsts made into
things of beauty by spirals of flowers and leaves.
Picture tall palms lifting their graceful forms
from masses OF other flowers and ferns. Think of
the platform bOrdered with plants IN beds, looking
as natural as though supernatural gardener by so
potent art" had made them grow there. Imagine
orange trees shedding around the light reflected
from their leaves of lustrous green, then more
ferns and flowers browning and glOrifyng the little
wooden offices erst as pTOsaic in appearance as III
USE then broad crimson carpet stretching from
end to end of the platform and then flags here, there
and every where dropping from Venetian masts, or
hanging from the walls or arranged as trophies and
suggestiycly encircled by wTeaths of laurel. Hay
ing coniuIed up all these things, some idea of the
preparations for Lord BeacOnsteld's reception may
be formed and also some notion OF the cOntrast-sO
strong as to be grotesque in its effect on the eye
between the festive bit of the station and the every
dav remainder The historian of many
public reception, the cOnnoisseur of innumerable
crowds cannot fail 10 be struck with the most i'm
portant fact, that those who came TO welcome the
statesman in the streets gave color to the scene by
the mere fact of their presence, and brought life TO
IL by their immediate sympathy. There have been
receptions by scOIes but receptions Of different
pattern. When the bells ring from the steeple Of
St. Martins-In-the-Fields when the smart Life
Guards line the streets when bands play merry
tunes and trumpets sound in the distance, when
there is a dazzle of uniform and parade of pOmp,
when creaIn-c0ored horses drag old"fashi0ned car
rages over newly-strewn gravel, when running
footmen accompany the procession and cOachmen
in cooked hats struggle with the reins over the
breadth Of tremendous bouquet, them indeed, en-
thusiasm is, rs il were, called TO the front.