The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-08-13
SOME NEW hooks.
Petroleum. v. Nasty In Europe.

are quite Independent OF such adventitious
aids az the groteaque spelling adopted in his
earlier lucubrations IL demonstrated by tho
notes of travel, now published in book form.
under the title OF NdSbv IN Erie. In large
volume OF nearly 200 pages. Mr.. Locke has re-
corded his impressions Of Grcat Britain and
Ireland, France. Germany. Switzerland. and
Belgium. and his impressions are worth re-
eording. because tho writer saw with his
own eyes. and has scrupulously refrainod
from introducing the ordinary guide book
matter. Ho makes no attempt to do
scribe scenery. buildings and works OF art for
no has the modesty to acknowledge that this
has been done by travellers more capable Of
such work than he is. But he was Interested,
he tells u.s. in the mon and women Of the coun-
rios be passed through: interested in their
ways OF living. their industries their customs
and habits. and no has tried faithfully to put
upon paper what he saw. We should add that
while the author has unIuestionably succeed
cd In his chief aim Of making an entertaining
book-a book. indeed. that may be classed in
the same category with The 1nnoccnts
Abroad'-he has also furnished on some top
ics information OF substantial value Such are
the facts Cleaned by personal inspection and
ret forth in the chapters bearing on the Irish
land question. to which We shall hereafter re-
fer In some detail.
Mr.. Locke. 1t seems. went to the Derby on
the occasion when Iroquois beat Peregrine.
and his account Of the race is exceedingly
amusing. The author seems to be familiar
with the American turf and asserts that horse
racing In England is more fairly conducted.
IL Ii possible. however. that he goes too far in
Affirming that the best horse or the best jockey
invariably wins. As regards betting. he admits
that there is as much rascallty in England as
On an American course. Under the grand stand
AtBpsom Is the betting ring. In which the book
makers are to be found; these are portrayed by
Mr.. Locke as 1ashy gentlemen with tall hats
Of painful newness and diamonds OF unearth-
~ size and lustre. which give one q comforting
assurance Of solvency." In America the bet
hing ring is under the control Of the associa-
item owning the track; but it is not
10 at EPSON as good many Americans
discovered to their sorrow. 1t appears
that one OF Mr.. Locke's friends having con-
hdence in IroQuois. deposited ninety pounds
sterling with bookmaker. and was con-
eeouently entitled to two hundred and
seventy pounds. inasmuch as Iroauois won.
We are told that the fortunate plunger
thied himself to the ring In great glee after
The race in order to collect his winnings, He
hied himself back to the carriage sadly. Had
Peregrine won the race the bookmaker would
The gentleman smilingly; but as Iroquos came
In first he folded his tent like the Arab and as
pilsntly stole away" Not q bookmaker. it
seems. was to be found In the ring on that oc-
easion. In view Of such an experience. we dis
Germ species Of grim humor in Mr.. Locke's
comment. that no American. unless he be a
tporting man. ever goes to the Derby twice.
Apropos Of the British barroom Mr.. Locke
notes that the English boniface does not set
the bottle before his customer with the large
minded confidence evinced by the barkeeping
fraternity in liberal America. Now at home"
q Mr.. Locke tells us he has been informed by
these who frequent barrooms. the barkeeper
lets before his customer bottle Of the liquor
he prefers. and the thirsty man helps himself
70 such quantity as he deems sufficient for the
purpose Immediately in view II. for example.
he is fixing himself for common riot. he takes
= certain amount: II for a murder. more or
teaA according to how aggravated the crime is
% DO. A man." Mr. Locke says would take
more to At himself to kill his wife than he
would for his motherin-law; yet in Amer
lea the wife, killing draught is vended
ut the same moderate price as the
mother in-law annihilator" In England.
on the other hand. the barmaid measures your
Nquor. You may have three penn orth. four
to you. handed to you. and you swallow 1t and
20 away. Mr. Locke demonstrated. It seems,
with one British innkeeper on the absurdity
and meanness Of the custom. Il will show
yeu the reasons for it." said the publican quiet
b. Just then bold Briton came in. and the
landlord directed the maid behind the bar to
Get down the bottle and to invite the customer
70 help himself after the American practice.
He was an astonished Briton. but he managed
10 express his satisfaction at the innovation.
Beizing the bottle. he poured out an ordinary
dinner tumbler full. and. looking grieved
because the glass was no larger. drank
n of without wink" The traveller
was convinced by this experiment that bar
hopping ON the American plan would bank
Supt the most opulent hotel keepers in Eng
hand. As to the quality OF the liquors con-
sumed In London by the lower classes. Mr..
Locke discovered, doubtless by experiment.
for 50 careful an observer would not take his
opinions at second hand-that they are the
most execrable ever invented by the ingenuity
OF the haters OF mankind. He says that :" the
brandy they drink is liquid liGhtning-chain
hghtning-which goes crashing through the
system, breaking down and destroying
every pulsation toward anything good.
The gin is the very acme. the absolute
summit Of vileness. There is a quarrel
in every gill Of 1t. a wife beating In every pint
and a murder in every quart. smell OF q
glass OF 1t nearly drove me to criminal reek-
lessness." Our traveller points out that in
England drunkenness does not seem TO be the
result either Of conyiviality or OF desperation,
ns 1t is in other countries. On the contrary it is
the one thing longed for and set deliberately
about. This popular propensity was happily
illustrated. as Mr.. Locke reminds us. by John
Leech years ago In Punch. man was lying
very drunk ut the foot of n lamppost. A
benevolent old lady OF the Exeter Hall school,
seeing him. called u cabman. The poor man
Is sick" Quoth the kindly dame; why don't
you help him?" Sick, is he" replied cabby.
sick don't wish Fad but arf OF vot ails him. "
While in Paris, Mr.. Locke inspected the now
extinct Jardin Mabile and his description OF
II Is worth reading. though. for intense and
perfectly unconscious humor. nothing can pre-
tend to vie with the account given by Mrs.
Harriet Deecher Stowe thirty years ago. Mrs.
Stowe visited the garden. and has recorded in
choice language. the profound impression the
acene made unon her lively fancy. "Thore