The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-10-10
ROBBED BY GUIDES.
COURIERS WHO FLEECE AMERICANS
TRAVELLING ON THE CONTINENT.


stealing-How 1t Is Done-Advice to
Those Who Wish to Make q Cheap
Trip.
A few days ago was speaking on the sub
ject Of Americans on the continent to an ex-
perienced courier, from whom CLEANED some
information that may have some interest for
your readers. He had just come here from
Paris, after having escorted a st. Louis fam
lily through the chief towns and places of in
terest in France, Germany, Switzerland and
Italy, and seemed very well pleased with the
financial results Of the journey.
"You make some money at this business of
yours, presumed" said /, with an air of af-
fected indifference.
"I should think / do" said the clever
courier, twisting his features into an expires
sion of diabolical cunning. Il have a good
pile at the Credit Foucier and in the italian
government stocks; and 1 do not care just
telling you that every cent in the pile is
American. / do not like the English-I hate
and detest theml They are no good for us
couriers. They are too sharp, and never let
us bring them long bill, as they settle their
accounts sometimes twice in twenty four
hours and they never allow for divers or ex-
tras unless every item is specified. Well, if
you did not know before, you know now,
pickings n courier has, and as am not an
idiot, 1 never go with the English. We
couriers turn our backs on Milford This, and
Milford That, if we see an American with his
wife and daughters coming our way.
FLEECING THE AMERICAN.
"Ahi the American is a good, brave, gener-
Gus soul He seldom tots up the couriers
bill, and filings his money about a droite ct a
qauche as mister the millionaire should. /
made, for instance, some 1900 francs per
month-all expenses cleared-during my six
months trip with the St. Louis family. How
did make it. you say. l suppose there is no
harm in telling you. You'll be mum on the
matter. j know you will, although pressmen,
as a rule are slippery as lampreys, and are
very dangerous fellows for us couriers to
meet: but my grammar tells me there are ex-
ceptions to every rule. Well, sir, the average
pay of good courier-I mean his legitimate
pay-is a louis day, or something like 600
francs month; pshaw, mere nothing when
you look at it as a gentleman shouldl 1t IS
the picking and not the salary that keeps the
pot gloriously boiling!
"Now, l have here in my memorandum
book list of all my hotel keepers on the con-
tinent. There is hardly a town, city or inter
esting site in Italy, Austria, Germany,
France, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland
where have not got my men. 1 always, of
course, bring them my American families,
and pocket 10 per cent of the proprietors'
charges, naturally with the proprietors'
knowledge and consent. Then tip grooms,
Wallets, waters and general servants, and
charge my patrons double the amount
actually laid out In every purchase
made secure fair profit. What
between fans and blue binocles, and
fruit and ices, and field glasses and
Photographic views, and bouquets and illus
trated newspapers, and eau de cologne bot
ties and pastry cake, and cabs and coaches,
and handbags and cigars, manage to have
my purse so full that ask leave of absence
for an hour or SO once a month and go to the
nearest agent de change, where 1 buy fine,
beautiful shares that swell my income"
NOT so PROFITABLE NOW.
I'm mighty glad," he added, 'that made
my hay while the sun was shining, for our
profession (sic) is not now near so profitable as
it used to be- because the number of American
families that employ cousiers is growing less
and less every year. Americans of the new
generation know more languages than their
fathers used to know, and, therefore, they
can paddle their own canoes better when they
come over here. Besides, the modern New
Yorker and Bostonian are not so easily taken
in as those of the old school, and only a clever
courier can squeeze them as he would a lemon,
lows that the man from Broadway and the
man from New England sometimes get the
better of the professionals they employ. Still,
when a very clever courier gets hold of re-
spectacle American family he is certain to
make their dollars dance as never they danced
before.
"You ask me if 1 were an American tourist
how should travel' Well, before leaving
America should pick up fair knowledge of
French and a mere smattering of German
and Italian-say for few hundred dollars
and then / would travel over all Europe at
Just precisely one-fourth the amount that it
costs an American to-day. In the first place,
I'd never employ a courier. Couriers are
leeches, rogues and knaves, although tits a
courier that says so-but never mind, can
be candid and sincere when 1 want to; and as
for guides, I'd seldom tack them on to my
coat tails; they are in the majority of cas-
quite unnecessary, when you have Bra
shaw or a Baedaker in your pocket"
Such is the substance of the remarks made
by this courier-a faithful record of facts
and opinions, any comment on which seems
to be utterly useless.-Milan Cor New York
Mail and EypreSS