National Republican., 1886-12-11

''glve me baby on toast.n Why they
haven't got into the innate comfort and
luxury Of good oyster fry or stew at IL p.
N. beats me, but II man should start such
place he would catch no trade but the
FOUNDERS and the girls at that hour. Decent
people don't go out TO late suppers, and
the young dude is saved the expense of
taking his sweetheart, wife, or sister to Il
little supper after the play. In my opinion
the poorer class, the thrifty clerk, the cab
driver, the shop girl, and such people have
better time than those better Off, aud pll
admit I've lopged to go in and have good
dish of old-fashioned trlpe stew at these
tripe shops you see, but imposition debars
me from enjoying the luXuries OF the poor,
even. All / can say is that places like
Everett's, Crooks, the Continental, uptown
in New York, are never dreamed of here,
more's the pity. As to the hotels, told
you before Of the Langham; Of course
there are two others - the Grand
and Metropole - that claim to
be "high church, they have oil tho
faults OF the English hotel proper, aud
Now to be able to wire to any of them
"Reserve one nice room with bath,n as
you could to any hotel most in America,
would cause a smile OF derlslon. In fact,
the poorest drummer on the road In the
United States is lodged and fed better than
the richest swells who stop at English
hotels. You see, perhaps mans idea OF
comfort is what he has been used to, aud
he may think from his standpoint only. l
have been q traveller In the states con-
stantly for ten years, in at least every Sec
tion OF the Union. Now when 1 go to
Chicago wire for room with bath; find
1t ready for me on my arrival. also find
meals at all hours from 5 a. m. to IL p. IN.
without any fuss or worry; my room is
always large, comfortable, with double bed,
hot and cold running water, and gas, with
steam or coal fire as | desire. Such COM
forts as have described cannot be had for
love or money in any public house In this
country or Europe. Hotels like Hoffman,
New York; or Murray Hill, Young's, Bos-
ton; Reunert's, Baltimore; Wizards, Wash
ington; Grand Pacific, Chicago; Southern,
st. Louis, or even the old st. Lawrence
Hall, Montreal, orSt. Charles, New Orleans,
would be revelations to even the Prince of
Wales. In fact, we In the United States
hold our comforts too light, and those two
great blessings-the good American hotel
and parlor and sleeping ears-are visions OF
grandeur and comfort to us across the water
here, who must perforce fall into and
adopt the ways OF our neighbors.
They say that the good meals are to be
had at the clubs; l never yet saw the use OF
the institution called the club. The great
men who have belonged to clubs were never
seei there; and imagine Henry Clay david,
ling his time looking out OF q club window,
or great god like Dan Webster listening
to an argument whether little Jimmie Rats
balm Jims should be suspended or not for
carrying newspaper parcel on Fifth ave
nue. In daylight. And even In our day
think OF Sam Randall sucking cane all
the afternoon in front OF a club window, OIL
Allan Ii. Thurman deciding whether the
EUeniRg BlOppipe should be put on the
"fles." Bahl Clubs are selfish, cold
blooded factions OF affectation, sham, and
lies. Chaps walk up their steps with an ali
Of greatness who owe their washerwoman
and whose souls are stepped IN dirty
thoughts, and sit In judgment of the acts ol
their betteTs. Imagine looking at the great
grand world, humanity, its hopes, desires
longings, grlefs, and pleasures, through the
scented, tlnniky, narrow, contracted atmos
phere Of club. It's well known to us who
have roughed 1t and laid awake nights on
the plains looking at the stars that shOnC
| down In our faces that the rich club fellows
are the stlpgiest people about money IL
the states. They'd pinch hootblack OF
flower girl; they never give mp cent 10 q
| poor devil. This breed OF consumers whlcl
| Is growing up In the states, notable and
| great in their inward smallness ard local
| Ism, has counterpart here which exceeds
the kind l am speaking OF as the mastodor
OF old exceeds the chipping bird. Thi;
class of titled loafers and ne'er,do-well.
swarm the clubs here, which have a street
to themseves-Pall Mall mostly-and yor
see blocks and blocks of buildings erected
TO idleness and feasting. What do they dc
iDsideS What they find to do outside is
mystery, only to themselves; but, like the
brook, 1t goes on forever. London is ful
of these idlers, both in and outside clubs
and you meet all the time men with in
comes from thousand dollars to five whC
do nothing but lounge and stroll and yawI