Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-07-20
SOCIAL LIFE IN LONDON.
Some Of the People Prentice Muiford Met
at Reception.

at - Reception.
Especial Correspondeuce.1
NEW YORK, July 1S.-At swell Lon
don reception. Introduced to tall gent
Very English. And London English.
Heard ! had lived in California. Was
very much interested. To know. you
know. About western life. About
buffaloes, Indians. "lngins'" scalps,
shooting scrapes, lawlessness, bowie
knives, horse thief hangings, barroom
rows, gambling saloon deaths. man
for breakfast, ditto for dinner, and
everybody on the cut and shoot. Very
thirsty for information. Asked me il I'd
ever seen any rough western life. Said
"Yes.' A tritle. Seen man killed?
Yes Any hung? "Yes." Very much
gratified But still hungry for more.
Froze to me. Drove me into corner.
Hemmed. Hawed. Hesitated EN-
barrassed. Said at last, BEG pardon,
but-but-did you ever kill manY'
Told him mo" Great mistake Left
me Immediately. Disappointed. Hoped
in me to find red handed murderer.
Disguised. Hadn't even killed one man.
Great waste of opportunity. After so
many years in California. Didn't say
So But knew he felt it, Dropped me.
Recommend Americans desiring hearty
reception in London circles to kill at
least one. Before going abroad Gives
you repute and standing Expected of
western Americans Supposed to go
about bristling under coat tails with
knife and pistol Full of fights as por-
cupine of quilts.
Talked little with solid Briton. ANUS
ing man. Didn't mean to be. Uncon-
scious humor, Represented British su-
periority all over Superior to rest of
mankind. Didn't intend to. Couldn't
help it. Born in him Bred in him.
Outcome of generations. Acted as if all
Americans away from home had done
something wrong. Stole. Embezzled.
Run off with wrong woman. Or some
thing. Didn't say so. But acted it.
Not necessary for man to tell all he
thinks to think it and assert it. Inferred
from solid Brton's sentiments that our
judges were corrupt, courts farce,
trials a mockery. That money could
buy law, legislation, lawyers and love,
that from Maine to Texas we were a
bad lot, heller skeltery loose, Iawless,
unprincipled, lost sinnery and lost
sheepery. Acknowledged solid Briton
to be right in spots. Some large
spots. Didn't tell him SO. Didn't
talk back. Took implied national GEN.
sure meekly. Didn'ttell him I'd found
large cheating and small cheating in
England-abuses so old they'd forgotten
they were abuses, legal and legislative
frauds SO well rubbed in they passed for
sound currency, rotten provision in Eng
lsh army and navy contracts, men
starved on such account, powder so poor
twould hardly burn, and marrying for
money rule in high life But to tell
what good? Similar sins ON our side.
Pots calling kettles black don't make EN-
any whittier. Leis solid Briton still salts
fled that England was the home, the nub,
Of honesty, honor, purity, soldity and
everything else really respectable and at
present real fountain head of Christi
anity, which, though founded i'm Pales-
tine, had been greatly repaired. restored
and improved by the Westminster cate
chism, the thirty nine articles and the
house of lords.
Rest of planet sort of back yard, filled
with refuse, pig pens, kitchen scullons,
crazy Frenchmen, gabbling Italians,
drawing Yankees, old pots, old pans,
weeds, briers and branbles. Left him
happy in belief that England is real
garden of Eden, warmed by coal and
run by steam power, that Eve was Eng
lishwoman and invented roast beef, beer
and plum pudding.
Large percentage of ladies at recep-
ton seemed spinsters. Took to wall
Vegetation. Appear regularly. Man sci.
dom approaches 'em. Yet persevering
anglers in streams man hasn't been
caught in for years. Hopes Faint
hopes. Badly treated by men. Totally
neglected. Indecent masculine English
haste to rush to youth and beauty. In
crowds. Spinsters look on Gallantry
all around. Bu. not drop for them
Passed by On other side. No good,
gallant San aritan to bind up heart
wounds All Leyites. Higher social scale
more numerous the spinster. More scarce
the marrying man. Not SO bad among
lower classes. More pairing of among
them For better or worse. Generally
worse. Still some compensation in pow
erty and low caste. Greater chance Of
having "Mrs." preiixed to name at some
time of life. Saved from disgrace of
Miss" after 30 Empty honor in two
cases out of three. Other third doubtful
PRENTICE MULFoRD.