The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-09-14
THE EDITOR ABROAD.
Random Notes of Foreign Travel
PARIS, August 10Th, 1880.

PARIS, August 10TH, 1850.
ILy Dear May:- came to this
most beautiful of cities on Thursday
last, reaching here about seven O'Clock
in the evening, by the way of New
Haven and Dieppe, having left London
at nine on the morning of that day.
The run from London down to New
Haven is only about two hours, with
nothing particularly attractive on
the way, but when you get to New
Haven, if there is sea on, as there
was the morning we crossed the chan
mel, you will have something to feel
as we'll as to see before you get across
that ill-natured and always dreaded
estuary of tine ocean. For all the
nasty, short, and choppy seas that pitch
and toss your little steamer, like bark
chip about the waste-gates OF Vinsin-
gers Mill Race, commend me to the
English Channel. There had been a
heavy Southwestern blowing for several
days, with occasional down pours of
rain, when we reached it. When | saw
the white caps rolling in, with the
easterly course we had to make, knew
we were in for rough passage. And
we were not disappointed in our ex
pectations. l had crossed the ocean
without having succumbed to old Nep-
tunes demands. and | made up my
mind with sort of half angry deter
mination that would not be sea sick on
a short channel trip of four hours. To
all outward appearances was as good
as my word, but my inward sensations
are not to be described. l think l
owed my success in getting across the
channel in an upright position, to the
worthy example of an elderly lady who
sat next me. She had evidently been
there before, and while younger and
seemingly stronger women, were cast
ing up fearful accounts with old Nep-
tune all around her, she sat as quiet
and as complacent, as though she had
been in her easy rocking chair at home.
In fact she only lacked her knitting to
complete the domestic picture. She
was an inspiration to me l believe, for
felt stronger in stomach at least by
seeing how well she held her own, and
70 have yielded, would have been a
severe modification indeed. She was
an agreeable old English lady on her
way to Paris where her son was in bus
mess, and she gave me a number of
excellent suggestions as to how to
travel comfortably. We reached Dieppe
by three O'Clock, and were hurried up
the Quay to have our luggage (not
Daggage) examined by the French Gus
rom House Officials. These sometimes
troublesome dignitaries, were on this
to me interesting occasion, represented
by single and very demure looking
elderly female dressed in black, who
with a nimble step and expert touch,
rapidly dispatched US with chalk
mark across our grip sacks, scarcely
noticing their contents. After this very
cursory examination of our traps, we
were again hurried into our compart-
ments and started for Paris, catching
as we left it hurried glance at the
picturesque old seaport, which by tie
way is one of the most fashionable
watering places for the bean monde OF
Paris, and a great depot for carved
ivory, manufacture for which Dieppe
has been celebrated since the middle
ages, when French ships belonging
there, brought elephants tusks from the
coast of Africa. l caught glimpse on
the Quay of a rough but picturesque
groupe of Nordmandy fishermen and
women, to me the most emphatic re-
minder that | was on French soil.
Rouen is the most important city lying
on the road to Paris. 1t is a city OF
venerable aspect, with a cathedral oi
vast proportions, and elaborate decora-
tions, fac simile of its altar in white
marble and gilt, being noticeable fea-
ture of the Paris Exhibition. We fol-
lowed down the valley of the Seine in
running from Rouen 10 Paris, the mos,
distinctive feature of the landscape be-
ing the beautiful rows OF Majestic
Lombardy Poplars, once so common
in our own country. As we approached
Paris the summet of the Eiffel Tower
was seen to our extreme right, while
rapidly multiplying spires and domes,
indicated, that we were in the mid oi
great city. In few moments we
were landed safely at St. Lazare rail
road station and our experience In the
French Capital began. My companion.
) de-voyage, gentleman from Virginia