Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-07-09
Three Months in Europe.
Notes OF IN Party in Quest Of Rcrr eatio,
and Amus-m-nt.


Two friends, H. and ", bid adieu
to friends and board the morning
train at Sharon, Pa, bound for New
York via Washington. After a
pleasant stay of two days in the
capital city we again take the cars
duly arrive in New York, where we
meet by arrangement two friends
from Sharon, +. and NJ. all bound
for a three mouths cycling tour in
Europe. Our business is transacted
as speedily as possible, engage
lodging at the Grand Central Hotel
and s'umber while Morpheus tells to
each a little story about the cradle
of the great deep; how on the
morrow Neptune. without the for
mality of an introduction, will grow
familiar, and, like mother, lay us
down to rock, and unmindful of all
that is like lilies grow intensely
white, wither, but unlike them can
not die"
The following day we board the
great steamship City Of Romc, the
largest passenger vessel afloat, $50
feet in length, 52aa feet in width,
strongly and beautifully constructed,
employing 265 men, burning 270
tons of coal per day. Precisely at
II NJ. the gang plank was raised and
the great floating palace steamed
out Of the harbor. Waving a good
bye to the multitude of friends upon
the pier we turn our faces toward The
blue waters of the Atlantic. We
pass the foot of the Pedestal of
Bartholdi Statue, Coney Island, and
drop our pilot off Sandy Hook.
We are now upon salt water and our
beloved country soon fades ont in
the distance. Farewell, dearest
spot on earth. now behind the mist.
Our attention is now turned to the
passengers on board. We are four
of eight hundred, most of them are
foreign birth returning to their
fatherland; only few native born
Americans. To us, belonging to
the latter class, the ways of some
of the would-be elite are strangely
peculiar. But it is not our pur-
pose in going abroad to criti-
else foreign dudes, or censure GUS
toms unlike our own, but we wish
to see things as far as possible with
unprejudiced eyes, and for few
months study at the feet of our for
eign masters. The accommodation
of our boat are great. but limited to
the saloon passengers. All is done
for them that can be done to make
the voyage pleasant and enjoyable.
But this is a foreign company, run
upon European plan largely, and
naturally there seems to be great
difference between the gentry and
the supposed lower classes. So OBJ
vious is this that it has become pro-
verbal among travelling people that
the Anchor Line cares we'll for first
class passengers but the second and
third take care of themselves.
The weather is unusually fine and
most of the passengers are up on
the decks aud all seem to enjoy the
beginning of the voyage except
few who are suffering from sea-sick-
ness. A sail now and then appears
on the horizon; we watch it, deter
mine its course, and at last it sinks
down behind the waters. Night
Genes on and as the stars twinkle
above us we imagine that we are
watching them through the old kitch-
en- window at home, and that the
whistling of the wind through the
rigging of the ship is tho moaning
of the maple trees. Thus the first
day of q sea-faring life is brought to
a close.
Our party rests we'll and we rise
early and so upon deck. Why is it
that we have been spared while doz.
ems with scarcely strength enough
to walk have crawlcd up to get the
morning air and lie like dead upon
the floor? We can only give them
our sympathy for there is no cure
for sea sickness only to brave it out.
The second day closes like the first
and we "turn in" again to sleep.
The third day we become more ac-
quainted with each other, and in
turn we relate story or sing a song,
frequently singing some Gospel
hymn together. Now and then some
one attempts to do or say something
funny that we may all indulge in a
good hearty laugh. Oar attention
is frequently drawn to the lower
deck by an old fiddler who says
"He's been to Amerika to play for
weddings and dances" We have
listened attentively to him several
times and conclude that any one who
can listen with any degree of pleas
ure or even patience, the chances are
lie won't be sea sick. But honor is
due to the most feeble attempt to
cheer up the discousolate on board