Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-03-17
For the Orange County Observer
UOMEWARD BOUND.

A1O JAIL ~
NV las, hotel bill is paid. The
PORTER iingles the bell furiously TO
announce to the walters and ser
wants that a brace of guests are de-
parting. A flock of vultures in dress
coats and expansive shirt fronts cir
Giles for a moment and then demure-
ly arrauges itself in a double line
from the hotel door to the curb
stone where a carriage awaits US.
Like the Indians victim, in the old
colonial days, We are compelled, in
order to get. away, to run this
formidable gauntlet. The main diff
terence is that, instead of each hand
holding a club, each expects to hold
a franc before the carriage door
closes on us. One reason why our
hotel bill is not as large as it would
have been in America is that the
landlord has shifted 10 his guests
hands the responsibility of paying
the servants. This is the universal
custom in Europe and the most
graceful thing to do in such matters
is TO accept the inevitable and sub
init to the imposition.
1t is not everyone who will do
this, however. One gentleman,
sometime ago, took his revenge in a
peculiar and effective way. Having
learned that, at every hotel, he
would be charged enough tor the
use OF two candles to more than
cover The actual cost of a dozen, he
made 1t a practice always before
leaving a hotel to pack away in his
travelling bag the candies which he
had lighted over night. The supply
rapidly accumulated until, at length,
he reached Antwerp where he put
up at the Hotel st. Iutoinne pre-
para,ory to sailing the next day. In
the morning he called tor his bill in
a manner sufficiently oslentatious to
arouse the expectations Of the host
of servants who make their living
by preying on the public in this ex-
c%ellen, hotel. Accordingly, wheI.
he started for his carriage, he found
two unusually long lines of expect
ants awaiting his departure. D11is
hands were concealed under bis
loose over-coat and as he passed
down the line, with stately step, he
placed in each o~utstrelched hand a
-- candle.
But, 10 come back to ourselves
A rapid drive through the winding
streets OF the quaint old city Of
Antwerp brings US to the wharves
OF the International Steamship Com
pany and, a few minutes later, we
fnd ourselves on board the Western.
lun0, the finest steamer OF the Red
Star Line.
All night long the creaking OF
derrlcks, the rolling Of wagons and
other noises incidental TO the last
hours Of preparation for the de
parture OF a large ocean steamship
render sleep out OF the question and
hence ii is that five O'clock fluids me
dressed and pacing the deck impa.
tlently. The wind whistles IN the
rigging and showers of snow beat in
my face as | impatiently await the
command tor u~nloosing the cables
On the wharf a gas pipe whose open
end is fifteen feet above the floor
pours up a huge column of ignited
gas which roars and hickers and
throws a ruddy glare over the entire
ship, painting the sea blood red and
bathing the decks in light. -
At last we are oft. The main
deck is covered with snow, but the
sun shines brightly on the red tiled
houses OF Holland as we steam rap
idly down the river Scheldt. A,
Flushing we drop u river pllo,
and with him go our farewell. letters
Now we are fairly out upon the
horrible North Sea. l say "horri
bic advlsedly. | have not beer
upon its stormy bosom more than al
hour before l find. myself in close
proximity to the rail thinking wha'
a melancholy world this is.
AS night approaches we are pass
ing between Dover and Calais anC
are signaling, by mean of a dozet
little flags, the signal station at ,h,
former place. Passing through tn.
English Channel We find the weatber
more agreeable and when we reach
the Lizard and signal our farewell
to Europe, we imagine tha, we have
at last gotten firmly on our sea legs
But, alas we have been a tribe pre-
mature for as soou as we are talrl,
out upon the open sea a gale strikel
the gallant ship and she SILVER,
from stem to stern. A wave noun
tain high rises i'll trout OF us. For
moment the ship hes tates as though
undecided whether TO % over or IN
der the rising heap OF black water
Only a moment Then the shary
steel bow plunges down into the on
comrg food with a roar the waite
pours over the decks 10 q torrent
the spray flies high into the air wet