Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-07-20

A Highland Table D'Hote.

: A Highland Table D'Hote
had been improving my mind lately
reading books of travel-"A ride in Petit
coat and Slippers, ""A Trip to Manitoba,
"a Daring Voyage Across the Atlantic,
Journeys In Canoes Down Foreign Ri
vers"-every description of adventure
toll and travel. Fired with ambition,
longed to travel However, 1 am onl,
little widow, fragile in appearance
and not too courageous in reality On
fact, my sisters laughed excessively a
the mere idea of my travelingl; SO
thought petticoats and slippers must b,
An uncomfortable way of seeing savage
countries, and to which really did moi
feel quite equal, and 1 preferred TRIP
to Scotland. 1t sounds easy, but ther
1t Is very romantic ; and there is always
the chance of the coach upsettine
(which, by-the-by, one did the othsl
day, and several people were hurt, OF
the steamer blowing up, or oneself being
blown off precipice, to add zest and
danger to the undertaking. travelled
alone with a maid-maids are trouble
some creatures, still it is 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 ad-
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 a shudder 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, l allow
tribes of tourists getting in 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-
quaintaDces 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. All these little
events were very ordinary, and, l must
say, disagreeable Brusher, my maid, 9.
thought so too, could See. But, then,
when we fairly reached the Highland
scenery, where fairy-like silver streams
tumbled down the sides of steep rocks
that looked as if made for the purpose;
where birch frs and mountain ashes
clung lovingly to crested hills, and deep
purple tips reached away up through a
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, began my fist experience
on table d'hote. When we reached the |
little country inn, half smothered in
lsrch and ash trees, staring right up q
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, l asked for |
a sitting room. "Yc can have one, mem;
but there's Just the common room and |
the coffee room, where yell tax Yer
meals" l had never taken meals before, !
like the servants; l had always dlned;
however, there was no help for it; and
now at last felt l was really exploring, |
really roughing it. Mine was stuffy
little bedroom, with red moreen curtains
and the chambermaid and waiter wash
ing the tea things and quarrehng and
making it up just outside my door; so L
was not Sony when the bell rang, or ra-
ther tolled (for it sounded Just like a
church belD for dinner. l walked down
the stairs with my usual dignity-no-
thing gives so much effect to small
woman as dignity-and perceived
young lady, with clouds OF
fuzzy hair and a iersey-body, Just In
front of me. 'I'll follow her." 1 thought;
and so l 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, a quantity of flaring mineral oil
lamps on the table, a few artificial flow
ers. and round sbout 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?" ?" a hoarse
voice murmured at my elbow; and be-
fore even knew that had answered,
smoking bowl of soup stood in front of
me. into which I absently plunged my
electro-plated spoon How wished
now had brought Brusher ! But then
I reflected maids must never be taken
out of their proper sphere; and If she
had dined with me then, she might eI-
pect to do 30 in the future at home.
Indeed, widow is so lonely she would
gladly even dine with her maid.
Presently, as nobody seemed to pay
any attention to me, I ventured to look
around; and 1 was struck by one fact
almost all the women were in mourning.
Not in complimentary or fancy black,
= II; tr,x hrrf /