Evening star., 1886-11-13
STARVED ON SUNDAY.
Difficulties in Getting Food In Eng land
on u Sabbath.

A STAR reporter dropped into the Travel club
few evenings ago and listened to the enter
tanning chat OF one of the members who had
recently returned from q summer trip to Eng
land. 1.-THE shutting Of the public houses to
transients on Sunday till sunset" he said, "is .
universal custom both ia London and the pro-
vinces. 1 was obliged in travelling to constantly
bear this in mind and plan my trips accord.
ingly. Our party OF Washington boys had q
comical experience soon after landing ON &C.
count of our ignorance Of the popularity of the
Britisher. We left Liverpool by the Sunday
morning train, intending to lunch in Leicester
and sleep in Lady Godiva's town. We were a
merry party, and enjoyed to the utmost the
freedom OF u third-clalss compartment In the
little box the Engiishnen call a car. We looked
In vain for the mist waich we had supposed
always veiled the melancholy face oil the foggy
isianu, and remarked the peculiar appetite-cX
citing effect which the bracing air had upon our
excellent Yankee stomachs. Our first business
on alighting should be to provide tor the inner
man with royal lavishnesS, and you can im.,g-
inc with what JOY we anticipated that Leicester
lunch: II was bright deiusion; We landed.
and hastened to look for the Red Lion, the
Kings Arms or The Queen's-signs that
are common to every town and betoken enter
tainment Tor man aud beast We strIied down
the deserted thorOughfare; plenty of signs i'm.
vited us, but nowhere could we gain adm mission
to an inn. Every puUlic place was closed; not an
tered and barred; and drip coffee, rolls aud
butter, 1Oc., is unknown to the benighted for
eigners After wandering on tor u mile and
vaiuly attempting 10 get In somewhere or any.
wnere, by back courts or side alleys. and meet
ing the same repuise, Our house been open o.
Sundays, sur from .he scullery maids aud
'bOots we found in the rear, we grew frantic.
Our hunger was getting unbearable when we
sight ted the ubiquitous blue-coated BOBBY and
swooped down upon him for Information where
we could feed.
But, alas! the poor fellow was q stupid yokel,
with burr on his tongue, who could give US
COON, moo! You be Americans, been't We.
Doon't ye moo ye carnt eat O. Sundy? Poobfics
be all closed till six O'Clock o. Sundy, don't yer
moo? II the law. yer nOo!'
But Bobby, give US the tip where we can go
and knock them up with double rap at the
side door; we must have something; we haven't
Here's a shilling for you.T
900, weel then. goo oop the street. beyent the
chemists, M ,,n fan an yer moight get summai a. the
or we went, only to meet another rebuff The
proprietor thrsa tened Us from the inside of his
curtain. And when we besought him To feed
us as an act OF kindness-indeed, as charity
promising him double pay, and told him that
arm Oi the law, he replied that Ii we would get
the sergeant OF police to come with us he would
be willing 70 give us a cold bite. This was too
much. But necessity knows no law, and one
excited Inemi'er volunteered to find the official
and bring him, ri ct d,nais, to our relief. think
threatened TO whip the VINO wnole Island. ior 1ae Ine
sergeant was In raging temper himself
at the end of q three minute talk,
and firmly resolved to maintaln the law OF the
land. Crestfuiien, the interviewer OF British OBJ
stinacy rejOined the remainder OF the party,
now In a boiling temper. We were hot aud hos
Tile, ana II we could not eat would MAKE u dis
turbance. Resolved upon this, We began our
retreat TO the station, intending to get out Of
such an inhuspitable place. Banging the
knocker savaxely At each inn door, we passed,
in the despalring hope OF getting in soInewhere.
We reached the Blue Lion and found The main
entrance slightly ajar.
Let's carry the place by strategy suggested
one.
All right said the rest. Go In quietly, and
The last imam lock the door behind
Once inside, we stole through the hall 10 the
Oar, tip-toed In and, with u sigl sat down, ex-
hauSled but Bxultaut, upon the soft leather.
cushioned seats that ran around As cosey q
ro.m as you Will lind in all England.
well, we are mere, boys! Tne next thing Is
20 flnd somebody
AS this was said the portly form Of publican
raised itself fr0m the cusniOns behind Que OF
The tables at the end OF the room and, with evf-
dent surprise, deInauded:
.Ho' did yer GIT tin? Publics be closed o.
Sundays, yer moo?
II was the proprietor. We began to beseech
auu protest, aii together and most vOiubly. and
analty got the adnlisSloG:
I'LL goo ua' see the inissus, yer noo.'
The nlissus was agreeable, and soon we were
AZ merry rs grigs, with BrsLisa beef and beer
sountifuliy spread befDre us."
Just here 4 fire alarm was heard. and THE
srAR mau hurried away 10 a fire.
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