The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-08-03
f"f Tie '-.ft Nhi-
NOTES OF FOREIGN TRAVEL.
The Cities Of Stra>burs and Rome.

The Cities Of Strdsburg and Rome.
fear that the readers of TIE IEiig, Wilt
have taken the trouble to read my letters
will naturally imagine that all through M
journey had nothing IL happen Ia mar IT!
pleasure; that every thin., was lovely: that
my cup Of happiness was continually run
ming over: that ! was at all times trcaic,
as though was some great mnguI or king
Of the Caunihal islands But | will Iclat,
a short scrap of history. to show that
travelled through paths that were no
paths of pleasantneSs, and through way.
"that were not ways of peace.
The experience, which shall now relate
hap pencd 1T the town OF Canstadt, town
containing about $500 inhabitants. an,
situated about one mile from Stuttgart.
arrived there one evening in the cars abouI
. O'Clock. 1t was raining in torrents.
[ inquired of the ticket agent at the de poi
for the nearest hotel, and he pointed to
dull red light cleaning through the trees
which appeared to be trying how near il
could 90 out without doing it. | went Il
this hotel. The first object | saw was the
great lubbc:ly hotel keeper sitting fast
asleep ou 4 large chair, with a green patel
over his eye. and the perspiraticn or lager
beer oozing out Of his broad red face.
awokc this baby elephant and asked him fol
i room. H.: did Not understand me. oi
/ pretended that he did not. then had Il
communicate my wishes TO him 10y signs
took u short candle which was on a n.
bic, lighted il, and pointed upward. This
pantouime had the desired effect for ri
once he led me up several flights of stairs.
as high - | think he could ::ct in that
house. ~pcucd the door, and entered my
sleeping apartment for that night. The
good or the evil people of Canstadt con
clEded To have 4 ball that night in this very
hotel, ana i'll the room directly under me
! They commenced to ;unc their Instruments
ami t. twang their harps, and 20 blow rhei
horns about 10 o'clock At :.:g.t and kept it
up until the we s,na' hours uC morn =
The room that occupied was mrauly fur.
nishcd, and the bed slept ON WAS a vvi )
{ hIgn harrow concern. 50 narrow that | was
afraid - turn over, least pcradvsu,urc
should fail ont aud break nv neck; and q.
/ for bugs, "thcrr were millions III il -
/ After al uneasy nights :c>t. | wen. down
stairs tu get my breakfast. when ! m, the
/ landlord and asked him II prepare mr 4
| warm breakfast, but he did un: understand
me; aud Is the sky had brcnm: clear pl.i
my bill aud left for Other quarters. could
not help thinking that. - for ways that Az
dark and for tricks that are vain. the G,r
ulrI. h0ici is peculiar believe per,iitlo
is full of such hotels stand opposite TIA,
depot ut Caustadt IN GERMANY wish II
To he uudcrStrp i, however. that the above
description only applies u rha ouc mi>cr
able hotel ut CaI sttdt. The German no
tells are generally models of cleanliness. com
. fort and excellence, aad the keepers thereof
/ are Il kind, whole souled class al heiugS
who know of nothing els" but Kindness 1,
travellers. verify thought that this lager
beer dispenser was an American IN his man
ucr-hc was so grut, suriy and piggish. II
may be rather uubecnmiug in an American
10 run down his own institutions, but t.
I tell the truth we receive but very li;tl,
polite attention from hotel keepers. or the
/ higher grade, called hotel clerks in this
country; for go into any OF uGr leading
hotels. especially where YOU are not known
and ask for a room, or ask any question
You may wish 10 have answered, and II
that clerk don't answer you in 4 manner
that Is intended 10 convey his thoughts
:" don't know and ! don't care then
am mistaken. Bu: the hotel keepers
throughout Europe are generally consider
ate and polite. They will give you any in
. formation you desire, and take a prldu II
treating their guests Is human beings. -
Whenever you travel in Europe, consult
your hotel keeper about every thing. aud
/ You ill iiEd him courteous, polite and gen
tIemanly, and you will readily see the diff
f.f. h..Fn 81
headed figure heads who stand behind the
counters of our fashionable hotels.
Another strange thing You will lind
among the charges, when the bill Is pre-
seated 10y the hotel keeper for payment, j.,
| the word - bougIc.' This word appeared
TO me To b. 4 fayoyItc one among the hutcI
keepers, and especially those of Italy.
/ remember that 1t generally headed every
/ bill presented to me for payment. and ~
7 the cost of this - huueie was very small
always paid the bill without asking what
it meant. did thus for two reasons. One
was, the amount trIiiIng that
did not wish to triilc over SO small "A charge
and the other reason was that ! did not
particularly care about exposing my Iguor,
ance IN asking what - bpugie - meant,
until one day discovered that there wcr,
three Of these - buugIcS charged III my
bill, and thought that this was more than
human nature could stand, and called
upon the hotel keeper for AL explanation.
He at once satisfied my mind. The WORD
bougie" signifies 4" candle = in the hes,
hotels. while in the inferior ones it seemed
to signify mean. little taiiow dip, stuck
in very dirty caudlestick. Thes,, bougies
cost the guest about two cents per night
Even if you go to bed in the dark. the
! bnugle Is always charged at the head OF the
bill. The landlord never forgetS TO charge
I You for your - bougie."
The conductor yelled out g ) ira a a ;.
BIO o-o-r-gh " and, behold. we were ia the
city of Strasburg. In going to this city
from Paris, we passed through the heauti
full, fertile aud luxuriaut country of AL
SAGE. thought how very Illuminating !,
must have been to the French when they
Were compelled to give up this beautiful
tract of land, together with Lorraine {,
the Germans. believe the French would
have rather paid double the amount oi
money they did pay. if they were ONLY per
mltted To retain under their control these
two beautiful provinces. Bat such were
the stern necessities of war that the Frrucl
had To cede them To Germany. The iuhab
itants OF Alsace and Lorraine then became
very unwilllngiy, German subjects II
passing through Alsacc. you can only set
boundless fields of green, rich grass. will
not fence, stone OT tree TO break the view
While passing through this country. and
just before we had entered the old con fine.
Of Germany, 4 soldier came to me and ask
ed me for something, but | did not under.
stand what he wanted, until 4 friend tulC
me that the soldier wanted to see nv pass
port. had provided myself with pass
port before | started from home, and haG
gotten so far on my way without ever hay
ing it demanded of me. began to think
that passports were of no use except l,
crafty the pecunious desires of our friend:
at Washington, and at last became care
less of it, and slowed it away some " her,
in my valise, and gave it no further thought
until this tall soldier, with carbiue anC
sword, demanded 1t of me. He looked
like 4 person clothed with authority, anc
one who wonld bear no triiing, SO ! divel
into my yalise, and, of course, it was thu
very last article | could find. handed il
to hun. He examined 1t. handed it bach
to me, and departed. | wished from tn,
very bottom of my heart that my passport
had been signed with the fishing worm So
n