Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-19
ROBBED BY GUIDES.
GoURIERS WHO FLEECE AMERICANS
TRAVELLING ON THE CONTINENT.

! Confession of One who Has Done Much
steaIing-How 1t Is Done-Advice to
Those who Wish to Make - 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 Il 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, presumeir said l, with an air of af-
fected Indifference.
~ should think I 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 l do not care just
telling YOU that every cent in the pile Is
American. do not like the English hate
and detest them! 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,
that divers and extras are some Of the best
pickings n courier has, and as / am not an
idiot, l never go with the English. We
couriers turn our backs On Milford This, and
Milord That, if we see an American with his
wife and daughters coming our way.
FLEECING THE AMERICAN.
"Ah! the American is good, brave, gener-
ous soul He seldom tots up the courier's
bill, and filings his money about droite ct a
aauche 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 itl you say. suppose there is no
harm in telling you. You'll be mum on the
matter! | know You will, although pressnen,
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 louis a day, or something alike 600
francs a month; pshaw, a mere nothing when
you look at it as a gentleman should! 1t is
the picking and not the salary that keeps the
pot gloriously boiling!
"Now, l have here in my memorandum
book a 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. l 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, walters and general servants, and
charge my PATRONS double the amount
actually laid out In every purchase
made ! sec1re a fair profit. What
between fans and blue binocles, and
fruit and ices, and field glasses ard
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 l ask leave of absence
for an hour or so once month and go to the
nearest agent de change. where l buy fine,
beautiful shares that swell my income"
NOT SO PROFITABLE NOW.
"rm mighty glad" he added, that made
my hay while the sun was shining, for our
profession sicl is not now near 50 profitable as
j: used to be, because the number Of American
families that employ couriers is growing less
and less every year. Americans of the new
generation know more languages than theiI
fathers used to know, and therefore, they
can paddle their own canoes better when they
come over here. Besides, the modern New
Yorker ami Bostonian are not so easily takeI
in rs those of the old school, and only a clever
courier can squeeze them as he would lemon
And rs all couriers are not clever, sir, it fol
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 a re-
spectacle American family he Is certain to
make their dollars dance as never they danced
before
You ask me If ! were an American tourist
how l should travel! Well, before leaving
America should pick up a fair knowledge of
French and a mere smattering of German
and Italiau-say for a few hundred dollars
and then l 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 It's
courier that says so-but never mind, i can |
be candil and sincere when want to; and as |
for guides, I'd seldom tack them on to my |
coat tails; they are in the majority Of cases |
quite unnecessary, when You have Brad |
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. Cor New York |
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