The Portland daily press., 1886-03-03

TO losing our visit, but on thinking the mat
ter over we remembered it was only few
weeks since Beatrice was married; and her
mother must be very tired after the we'd
ding; and we concluded it would be hardly
fair to rush in upon her when she was pick
ing up her things for the journey to Scot
land. We hope to find leisure later in the
season TO take tea with her at Buckingham
Palace.
We drove past pretty row OF cottages
built for the invalid and superannuated SER
wants of the Queens household, who are all
nensioned. We stopped for moment to look
at Whippingham Chapel, which is modest
little church standing in an English church.
ward. The old dame at the gate took us to
fine seats of the royal family, the spot where
Beatrice stood on her wedding day; and as
we left she broke off for us bit of Irish yew
which overhangs the Queens private door,
which of course was worth an extra shilling.
Night found us again at Shanklin, not too
late for good sea bath to take out the wea-
riness of the day, and give us keen relish
for supper well served by Mrs. Hinton.
BRIGHTON-ACRoss THE CHANNEL TO PARIss
After we felt we had thoroughly washed
off the CRIME of the soft coal, and invigorated
our systems with the tonic of the sea air, if
by chance we had imbibed any malarious
germs from the London sewers, we started
the Peterkins once again to see the world;
first retracing our steps to Portsmouth, and
by rail to New Haven, we stopped for one
nights rest at Brighton. Brighton did not
impress us favorably as a place for repose OF
enjoyment: but for those who admire fine
turnouts and magnifcence in dress it cannot
be surpassed. The sea view is open and grand
as it is everywhere; but the beach is not
clean and hard, but muddy like our flats, and
very disagreeable to walk upon. Like most
of the old watering places in Europe, a high
wall is built along the shore for miles, and
upon the top is solid road, where the
crowds drive and promenade necessarily.
One might as well stop to mediate in the
Grand Central Station in New York as to
pause moment for thought at Brighton.
The whole season is the gayest of the gay
After dinner we wendell our way to the
Brighton Aquarium, which is built under the
grand esplanade. After we had seen innu-
merable sea monstrosities and marine plants,
we were ready to depart; but it was an
nounced that Jumbo jr. would perform in
the outer amphitheatre. We wanted to get
our moneys worth, so we took seats with
the crowd and were highly entertained by
Jumbo's agility. He rode bicycle, played a
hand organ, walked on row of ten pins,
and coolly sat down, tucked his napkin under
his chin, and rang the bell for his drink with
the dignity of an English peer. After he re-
tired the audience arose, and, determined
not to be left out we followed through dark
passages, this way and that into the very
bowels of the earth, suggesting the mysteries
of fairy castles, until we were ushered into
a brilliantly lighted hall, with all the APP
pointments for ''show." Soon the curtain
rose and a gorgeous spectacle and play of
ssDick Wilmington and his Cat" was put upon
the stage. The take-off and hits upon the
English lords and swells were very funny
and bold We wondered they dared to carl
cature in such bare-faced ways, their men in
authority.
Much as we may have been imposed upon
by porters and hotel keepers in England we
cannot complain of the managers of the
Brighton Aquarium, for we certainly got our
moneys worth that night.
Starting before six o'clock the next morn
ing, without any breakfast, we felt as if we
had had too much for a shilling the night be-
fore and too little sleep at the Albion. How
ever, few hours later it mattered little
whether we had had full breakfast or not,
as about noon we were suffering the fortunes
of the English Channel. We find whichever
way we take it. the last is the worst, and
soon having tried to cross in a few more
ways it will be Hobson's choice or stay on
this SIDE
1t was pleasant surprise to some of the
party to live to get across, but we did, and
an hours rest and bowl of French soup set
us on our feet once again, and we were off
for Paris Everybody is sure to have some
real or imaginary wrong, which brings on a
little alteration with French porters, who
are such sticklers for the company's rights
and their own fees. This time it was a
sharp debate as to the age of one of the chill
dfen-we had not dreamt of the necessity of
taking the family Bible along with us: yet
without that or copies from the city records
we had the audacity to assert the child's age
despite the mans contradiction. For few
minutes we thought we should have the
united force of railroad officials in the car
riage; but at last superior appeared who
hushed the fellow and allowed the train to
proceed When one first finds himself in the
midst of people jabbering a foreign Ian
guage, no matter how satisfied he may have
been with his acquaintance in modern Ian
guages, he is pretty likely to find his phrases
and well learned grammar oozing out of his
mind, until a vacuum is formed, and he can
speak neither French nor English. We were
all safely housed that night at the Hotel de
Tamise, which had been recommended by
several of our Portland friends, without los
ing our trunks or any serious accident. We
had funny adventure in the chamber while
our spokesman was below stairs. The maid
and porter wishing to know how to distrib-
ute the various trunks in the rooms, began
to talk like the wind which blew our wits
and our French away. She grew excited and
talked louder and faster. We would not be
outdone in using gestures and telling empha-
sis until perfect Babel enssed. At last she
dropped upon her knees and began a series
of object lessons, measuring various lengths
and depths of imaginary trunks, which some
of our party initiated without imparting the
least light upon the question, when one of
the scrambling crowd ON the floor perceiving
the righteousness of the whole scene, burst
into laughter, in which the rest joined, and
wound up the affair in jolly hurrah.
NJ G. P. B.