The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-08-12
OUR EUROPEAN LETTER.
The Journey to Paris.

our baggage on the wheels, and move
slowly towards the Black Friar Bridge,
the streets are alive with vehicles, and it
was with some. difficulty that we could
ride. we reach the bridge, however,
cross over and steer for the suburbs. We
found the wheeling here very rough and
slippery, the sprinklers having showered
the streets with water. Our wheels slips
from under us once or twice, butwe reach
the limits of the city in safety, and take
the most direct road 10 Brighton. The
day is beautiful, and as re roll into the
rural districts we find the roads dry and
smooth, and for bicycling the best that
we have found in England. We turn
about to take farewell view of the great
city, but the highest dome of London is
out of sight. We ride on few miles
further and stop to rest fora few minutes
in the cool morning shade, for the sun is
growing warm. We make sketch of
the surroundings, and are soon on our
way again. We stop several times dur.
ing morning to make pictures of the
scenery along tho road. for an American
it was quite attractive. We arrive at the
little village of Crawley, about 8 o'clock,
and put up for the night. At an early
bourin the morning we were up, and on
the road. The air was cool, the wheel
ing the very best, ard ne spin along at a
lively rate, halting now and then to make
a sketch. We complete the journey with
FIVE mile coast, and arrived in Brighton
for dinner. This is the great watering
place of the Kingdom. 1t is beautifully
located, and much has been done to make
it attractive and pleasant. At present it
appears to be dull, but we were Informed
that the busy season usually commenced
the first of August, and continued until
December, and that about one hundred
thousand visitors spend the summer there.
After riding about the upper part of the
city we spin up and down the main Ave-,
which extends for. four miles along the
sea shore. The water seems 80 inviting
we roll down aud bath briefly, for the
water to us seemed very cold. Bedtime
arrives aud we retire. Thursday morn:
ing, July 1st, we are out early and on the
road to New Haven, ten miles away.
Our route is along the sea shore, and just
hilly enough to make the Star do some
climbing, for in some way or other, it
took me over them all, while Columbia
and Royal Mail needed much urging and
pushing. We.arrive safely and wheel to
the boat landing, for in the afternoon ne.
are to set sail for Dieppe, France. We
book our machines, buy our tickets and
ascertain that our vessel will sail prompt.
ly at 2 o'clock. Having several hours to
wait, we examine ourselves and it is our
sad misfortune to realize that there is-not
drop of French blood in our veins, and
not French word in our minds. We
had expected my brother who speaks the
Language, to accompany us through
France, and dissappointedly we we're left
without an interpreter, and all we have
in this world that is least bit Freuchy
is little green covered book containing
a few English and French sentences.
Well we all sat down, put our heads
together and took our first French lesson.
On the thirty-fourth page we find
"Apportez- -moiun biscuit" and the book
says it means "Bring me a biscuit" J.
M. intimates that it would be good
plan for him to learn to say, but prefers
to have the last word biscuit changed to
large loaf of bread, and thinks it's good
idea to put pan Of milk in somewhere.
We all are anxious to learn French, so
We pernse the book. On the forty. eighth
page we find that "Du pain" is bread.
We are unable. to find anything that
means a large loaf, SO we suppose "Cent
livres," Ia hundred weight.) We find
nothing. that means pan, SO we supply
"Un petit baril" Ia small BARREL, and
"Du lait" meaning milk, we have
"Apportez moi un cent livres du pain, ct
un petil bari de du lait" (bring me a
hundred weight of bread, and small
barrel of milk.) We inform him that
this is what he must say when he desires
large bowl of bread and milk. He
makes a stagyer at the pronunciation
but we find it incorrect, SO we pronounce
it for him. He then retires some dis.
lance away to say his piece. Each one
tries to become familiar with that part of
the French language that he thinks he
will most need, We. soon discover that
our wants are prodigious and it is quite
evident that we have d big job on our
hands. We have no time to lose, so some
one suggests that we resort, in case of
necessity, in some natural method, ,or in
other words, that we gesture it out. In
view of the fact that We, collectively and
individually, have limited idea of what
the Frenc' language is and believing it
expedient. % resort to any or all reason
able means through which it may be
possible to make "a multitude of wants
known. We believe the last suggestion
good one, and adopt the plan. The
whistle blows and we forgot our troubles
for short time to make ready for the
voyage.
Attwe o'clock precisely our little side.
wheel steamer glides out ofthe harbor at
tthe rate Of sixteen miles per hour, and as
she steams along the great white cliffs
she seems but speck but she moves so
beautiful that we are more delighted with
her than with the great "City Of Rome"
But as We push further .:out into the
channel, the sea grows heavier and soon
the waves toss her about like bobin to
t a fish line, and our opinions 60 down as
our dinners COUP. We lose all relish for
the French language and the desire to
see France. In fact we lose pretty much
everything but our boots. Well ne don't
talk about it, and to. cut long story
short we concluded that it might bo pos
Iisible 10 make ,Frenchmen out Of us but
sailors impossible. owe are not built