Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-02-05
miscellaneous.
The BeWildePed Traveller.

During the rage of the Continental war
in Europe. occasion-no matter what
called an honest Yorkshire squire to take
journey to Warsaw. ultraviolet and
unknowing. he provided himself with no
passport: his business concerned himself
alone, and what had foreign nations TO do
with him.
His route lay through the States Of
neutral and contending powers. He land
ed in Holland and passed the usual exam
ination; but insisting that the affairs which
brought him there were of a private ma
ture, he was imprisoned, and questioned,
and siited and. appearing to be incapa-
BILE Of design, was at length permitted to
resume his journey.
To the officer Of the guard who con-
Quoted him to he frontier he made fire.
quent complaints Of .is treatment, and Of
the loss he should sustain by the delay
he swore it was uncivil. and unfrendly
and ungenerous 500 Dutchmen mi ght
have Travelled through Great Britain with
out a question they never questioned any
strangers in Great Britain, nor stopped
them. nor guarded them.
Reused from his native phlcgm by
these reflections on the policy Of his
country the officer slowly drew the pipe
from his mouth and emitting the smoke
therefrom.
..Mynheer." said he, "whcn you first set
your foot on the land Of the seven United
Provinces, You should have declared that
you came thither on affairs of commerce -
and. replacing his pipe, relapsed into i'm
movable tacitnrnity.
Released from his unsocial companion,
be soon arrived at French post. where
the sentinel of the advanced guard re-
quested the honor of his permission to
ask for his passports; and on his failing to
produce any, he was entl Gated to pardon the
liberty he took Of conducting him to the
commandant, but it was his duty, and he
must however reluctantly, perform il.
Monsieur le commandtnt received him
with cold and pompous poiitcness; he
made the usual inquiries, and our travel
or, determined to avoid the error which
had produced such Inconvenience to him,
replied that commercial concerns drew
him to the continent.
MA fol" saws the commandment, ''c'est
un negolant, un bureeois take him away
to the citadel, We will examine him to-
morrow; at present we must dress for
the come lie-allons ~
Monsieur" saws the sentinel. as he re-
no aid not have mentioned commerce to
Monsieur lie commanlaut; no gentleman
in France disgraces himself with trade
We despisc traffic. You should have in
formed Monsieur lie commandant that YOU
entered the dominion of the Grand Mon
argue for the purpose of improving your
sell in singing and dancing. or in dress
ing: arms are the profession of man OF
fashion. and glory and accomplishment
his pursuits. Vive lie Roi." lie had the
honor OF passing the night with French
guard, and the next dav he was dismissed.
Proceeding on his Journey he fell in
with detachment of German chasseurs.
They demanded his name. his quality and
his business in that country. He cam
he said. To learn to dancc--and 10 sing
and TO dress ''IIe is Frcnchman."
said the corporal. "A spy" cried the
sergeant And he was directed to mount
behind n dragoon and carried to the camp.
The officer, whose duty il was to ex-
anime prisoners, soon discovered that our
traveller was not II Frenchman. and that
as he did not understand II syllable of the
language. he was totally incapable of be-
ing u spy he therefore discharged him,
and not without advising him to no more
assume the frippery chara ter of n French
man. I've Germans" he said 'eat.
drink and smoke; these are our favorite
employmcnts. and had You informed the
party that YOU followed no other business.
you would have saved them. me and YOUR
self trouble.
He soon approached the Prussian domn-
ions. where his examination was still more
strict. and on his answering that his only
designs were To eat. and Ia drink. and To
smoke-'''ro eat and To drink and to
smoke" exclaimed the officer, with aston
ishment. "Sir. YOU must be forwarded
to Poisdam; war is the only business of
mankind"
But the acute and penetrating Frederick
soon comprehended the character of our
traveller. and gave him passport under
his own hand. at is an ignorant and in
nocent Englshman." said the veteran;
The English are unacquanted with mill
tary duties. when they want n General
they borrow him of me-
At the barriers of Saxony he was again
interrogatcd Il am n soldier" says our
traveller, "bchold the passport of the first
warrior Of the age - You are pupil of
the destroyer of Millions" replied the
sentinel: 1--WE must send YOU to Dresden.
and harkye, sir. conceal your passport. rs
you would avoid being torn to pieces by
those whose husbands. sons and relations
have been wantonly sacrificed at the shrine
of the Prussian ambition"
a second examination at Dresden clear
ell him of suspicion.
Arrived at the frontier of Poland. he
fattcrcd himself that his troubles were at
an end. but he reckoncd without his host.
.'Your business in Poland9" interrogat-
ed the officer.
II really don't know, SIR" replied the
traveller.
Don't know Your own business. sir?"
resumed the officer. Il must conduct YOU
10 the starost"
For the love ofGod." says the wearied
traveller. take pity on mo. have been
imprisoned in Holland for being DESTROYS
of keeping my own affairs to myself;
have been confined all night in a French
guard house tor declaring myself n mer-
chant. I have been compelled 10 ride
seven miles behind German dragoon
for declaring myself man OF pleasure;
have been carried fifty miles prisoner in
Prussia for acknowledging my attachment
to ease and good living. and have been
threatened with assassination in Saxony
for avowing myself warrior: and there
fore. il You will have the goodness to let