Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11
A Highland Table D'Hote.

I had been improving my mind lately,
reading books of travel-"A ride i'll Petit
coat and Slippers, ""A Trip to Manitoba, "
"a Daring Voyage Across the Atlantic, "
Journeys i'll Canoes Down Foreign Ri
vers" every description of adventure,
toll and travel. Fired with ambition, |
longed to travel. However, | am only
little widow, fragile in appearance,
and not too courageous i'll reality Tin
fact, my sisters laughed excessively at
the mere idea of my traveling) SO /
thought petticoats and slippers must be
an uncomfortable way of seeing savage
countries, and to which l really did not
feel quite equal and l preferred trip
to Scotland. 1t sounds easy, but then
it is very romantic and there is always
the chance of the coach upsetting
(Which, by-the-by, one did the other
day, and several people were hurt), or
the steamer blowing up, or oneself being
blown off "a precipice, to add zest and
danger to the undertaking. | travelled
alone with a maid-maids are trouble
some creatures, still it is IA great thing
when one is tired to have ones dressing
gown laid out, and ones muddy boots
pulled off; so | had to endure her. OF
course she had no soul she never adj
mired the sunsets, but leant back
munching apples she could not descry
charm in hunting up butterflies and
killing them with chloroform-it GER
tainly always gave me shndder to per-
form this office it WAS so terribly like
vivisection nor did she care bit for
all the sweet little wild flowers / picked
as we went along, and which, indeed,
did fade dreadfully before We reached
our destination. L even caught her
throwing some exceptionally decayed
ones out of the railway carriage window,
with the exclamation, "My goodness,
what lot of muck !" The railway
travelling was dull enough, | allow ::
tribes of tourists getting III and out at
every station, and looking hot, angry or
discontented; slamming down their bas-
kets and bundles of weeds and damp
ferns tied up in handkerchiefs upon our
wincing feet, or grumbling because We
did not Immediately make room for fat
papa, mamma, and daughters beside us
why should we? they were no ac-
quaintances of ours-or very tall, very
sunburnt, very ruddy young men with
alpen-stocks, which they planted firmly
in front of them at the imminent risk of
putting out our eyes. al these little
events were very ordinary, and, l must
say, disagreeable. Brusher, my maid,
thought so too, could see. But, then,
when we fairly reached the Highland
scenery, where fairy-hke silver streams
tumbled down the sides of steep rocks
that looked as if made for the purpose;
where birch frs and mountain ashes
chung lovingly to crested hills, and deep
purple tips reached away up through
dim curling mist into the clear blue sky,
while real burns or torrents or whatever
else is the proper name for them rum
bled and dashed along in happy showers
of milk-white spray far below us-I did
feel that travelling was very nice.
Then, too, l began my first experience
on a table dhote. When we reached the
little country inn, half smothered in
larch and ash trees, staring right up
beautiful valley that seemed to fade
away into a kind of regiment of dark
blue hills, each popping up to look over
the others head; of course, asked for
a sitting room. eye can have one, mem;
but there's just the common room and
the coffee room, where yell TAX yer
meals" / had never taken meals before,
like the servants; | had always dined;
however, there was no help for it; and
now at last felt l was really exploring,
really roughing it. Mine was a stuffy
little bedroom, with red moreen curtains
and the chambermaid and waiter wash
ing the tea things and quarreling and
making it up just outside my door; so |
was not sorry when the bell rang, or ra-
ther tolled Cfor it sounded just like a
church belly for dinner. walked down
the stairs with my usual dignity-no-
thing gives so much effect to a small
woman as dignity-and perceived a
good-looking young lady, with clouds of
fuzzy hair and jersey-body, just in
front of me- '1'll follow her, thought;
and so / did-into the servants dining
room, where waiter, running after me,
explained that | was wrong and brought
me triumphantly into the dining hall.
The latter had an imposing effect, pan
eled ceiling, sides and doors of polished
pine, quantity of faring mineral oil
lamps on the table, few artificial flow
ers, and round about fifty people all
eating soup. took my place, while my
heart sank and my appetite faded away.
This was indeed "taking" meals, not
dining. "Oxtail on giblet?" hoarse
voice murmured at my elbow; and be-
fore I even knew that had answered, a
smoking bowl of soup stood in front of
me, into which [ absently plunged my
electro-p plated spoon. How / wished
now had brought Brusher But then
I reflected maids must never be taken