, 1880-04-26
Our Foreign Letter.
The CURIOUS MODES OF TRAVEL
ADOPTED IN A STRANGE LAND.

ADOPTED IN A STRANGE LAND.
There can be no doubt that foreign
travel is one of the greatest educators
in existence. It develops and broadens
the mind as nothing else can do. II
makes us realize that there are uthel
places in the world-of course not as
nice as Detroit-but iRfnitely superior
to Chicago or Toledo. The expense ol
a foreign tour keeps very many from
enjoying its advantages, but think
can show how travel in strange lands
can be INDUCED in with very moder.
ate outlay.
The other day frisnd of mine told
me how he came very near having an
extended residence abroad at no cost to
himself and family. 1t was in the year
eighteen something or other, if re-
member rightly, and Gabbage-that's
my friends name-had things all fixed
up for his foreign tour-this trip that
was not to cost nything. He had lived
in Detroit thirty-two years that fall,
had Gaboage, and never had tho pol
ishing influence of foreign travel. ex-
cept three days he spent in Buffalo
during the races.
Gabbage's party was in power, and
that year he had fixed things pretty
well with the right men, and he said
to them something like this, as near as
can recollect:
I'm no cffice-seeker," Cabbage
said, "but I tell you I've worked for
the good of the country (that is Cab
bage's party, of course,) for over
twenty years, so now l want some for
eign consulate; don't care where it lis,
so being it's in a foreign country. l
don't want big salary; Thousand a
year would make me a happy man.
want to get it so that I can make my
home there for the next few years, and
study the manners and customs of the
people, you know, and make little runs
out into the neighboring districts. see
and have the children pick up the Ian
guage of the country"
So they promised Cabbage that he
should have consulate.
"And forgot all about you when
they got to Washington o. said I.
mo they didn't,'' said Cabbage,
shaking his head solemnly. "They
got the consulate for me, but they
didn't use that discretion could have
wished" And then my unfortunate
friend told me the whole sad story, /
gathered from him that It was big day
in the Cabbage household when the
large official envelope came with the
appointment. The envelope had, as I
understand it, on the right hand cor
ner clause to the effect that anyone
using it except for official business
would be liable to fine of $500, while
on the other corner il big letters were
the words, Consulate Department"
while on the sealing wax was the grand
seal of the Republic. l am not quite
positive about the grand seal of the
wax, but am certain about the rest.
Well, as said, or intended to say,
there was Joy in the house of Gabba .,e
on that occasion.
6 l hope it's France" said Mrs. G.,
with woman's yearning toward Paris,
the city of fashion.
Germany" says Cabbage, for he
does love good beer, strong literature
and fine music.
"Italy for me, pa" lisped Belinda
G., who dabEled in what she was
pleased to call painting.
81 go in f-r Africa, and lions, and
cannibals and things" said Orlando
Cabbage, horrid spoiled youth, who
made this blood dcurdling remark with
a view to prejudicing the infantile
minds of the junior Gabbages against
foreign travel.
Well, we'll see, said the cheerful
head Of the family as he tore off the
end of the official envelope. A look of
blank amazement stole over his coun-
tenance, and he just had strength
enough to say: Windsor y
Not Windsor, England. not even
Windsor, Nova Scotia, but Windsor
opposite Detroit.
At this trying juncture Cabbage
acted with undue precipitation. have
been told that he sat violently down.
wrote on the appointment some very
illsdvised remarks-in fact, Cabbage
earnestly recommended the President
to transfer the entire consulate service
to climate whose temperature has q
steady elevation much above the aver
age heat Of Windsor. And then he
banged on four three-cent stamps
over the official information about the
$500 penalty, pasted up the torn end
of the envelope end addressed it to the
President himself and sent Orlando