Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-06-19
GETTING STARTED.
Experiences During a Trip from
Paris to Lyons.
Trouble with Cabman-Language I'm.
derstood by Paris Jehu - Three Sell
fish Men-A Discussion on Tobacco
That Ends In Smoke.

The letters "P. L. NJ" are magic
combination. They are sort OF alpha
bette open sesame" p. L. NJ. is tho
enchanted gateway through which
every one must pass to escape from the
damp, shivery gloom of an English
winter to the paradise of eternal sun
shine. The old, the worn and tho weary
go through this portal to have refresh
ing dip in the fountain of youth; the
sick go to get well and the hopeless to
die. The letters on the northern side
of this gateway might stand for Pierc-
ing Livid Misery or Pouring Liquid
Mud, or Potatoes Liver and Mutton. or
Pitiless Lurid Murder; and on the south
for Peaceful, Life-giving Mildness, or
Palms, Lilies and Mandarins, or Ports
and Lakes and Mountains; but In plain
literal meaning they stand for the rail-
way called the Observation-Disclosures
ranoan, running from the capital Of
along the Mediterranean coast to the
Italian frontier.
A little knowledge is dangerous
thing, especially If that little happens
to be wrong. Ialways had the idea that
the P. L. NJ. station was that terminus
south of the Luxembourg Palace. Idon't
know how this notion fixed itself on me,
but, anyhow, when tho cab-driver in
stead of crossing the Seine took the
rough stony street on the north side Of
1T, / thought he had mistaken my in
structions and tiled to tell him where to
go. This attempt to give Paris cab
man information about his own city
evidently amused him very much, and
no proceeded to argue the point with
niche talking French while confined
myself to English-but strong, forcible
English.
think woman takes deplorable
delight in finding her husband in the
wrong. Anyhow, this remark was made.
There is just one chance in million
that you are mistaken and that the man
knows where he Is going"
"Rno,cs' He doesn't know any thing"
and to show that was in the right
] was indiscreet enough to pull out a
map of Paris. l tried to fold 1t up
again as quickly as possible, but was
not soon enough.
Exactly. The man was right after
all It's miles away and on this side of
the river"
$50 on" l shouted to tho driver;
''what are you stopping for? Drive on
and hurry up"
Now, this idiotic cochier seemed to
think every time tried to get him to
move on, that wanted to reopen the
argument about the position of the p.
L. NJ. station. lie would pull up his
horse and turn half round in his seat
towards me and vchemently expound
his side of the controversy. | realized
that If this sort of thing was kept on we
would miss the train and was just de-
batting whether it would be better to
murder the man outright and take the
rcins myself or merely stun him and
try to get to tho station before he re-
vived, when there came along ped.
estrian who looked as if he was an Eng.
lishman.
81 beg your pardon / said, shut dc
you speak English?"
81 have been accustomed to speak it,
he answered, coming to standstill
''from my youth up. What can do fol
your"
Nothing, unless you can also spoal
French"
"Ah, there you touch my weak point
still know enough of the language tc
get cheated"
"Well, wish you would ask the
driver what he is arguing with me
about-politics or religion?"
There was an animated confab DO
tween the two for minute, then the
stranger turned to me.
"Thc driver says that you seem lit
tle wahbly in your mind as to what par.
ticular station you want to go to. HI
says he doesn't mind driving to any oHt
station, but he declines to experiment
with all the te-mini in Paris unless yo,
hire him by the hour"
"Will you kindly tell him that l wan
the p. L. NJ. station and that want i
UIus hoA nun w hihO CAOls
compensation"
When this was done the stranger wa
good enough to give me some hiIks tina
might prove useful.
IF he doesn't move fast enough dom
say go it or hurry up; he'll think yor
want to enter into conversation with him
Shout 'prossay,' and If that doesn't dc
punch him with your cano. They under
stand that in every language. Don't hi
him with tho cane. He will take that a
achallengo and hit back with the whip
but punch him gently and yell 'pressay
Goodbye. Oh, don't mention it. n
trouble at ALL"
Now, you villain, cried: "Pressa
or perish"
He gave that peculiar "Youep" whic
French drivers so frequently address
their horses, hit the animal an undo
cut with the whip, then worked of
fusilade OF sharp whipcracks tina
sounded like succession of pistol shot:
and tho horse broke into detected ga
lop, which finally worried us to the foe
of the stone hill that leads to the Sta
tion. The big clock showed that it wa
still five minutes to train time. This, o
most lines in France or Italy, would b
equivalent to missing the train, but tn
p. L. NJ. people run a modern railway
and so, with tho aid OF a good ange
who, instead of having wings, had tn
words "Thos. Cook & Son" in gilt lie
tiers on his cap, We got the train. Tn
tickets, which had been bought !
London, wero now stamped by the raj
way authorities, and then the trunk
werc registered" This system is NJ
quito so good as the American plan I
checking. but it is infinitely better tia
the English way of trusting to luck az
personal supervision A ticket IVY
the number Of the package and
word Lyon" was pasted on the trs
similar ticket was given To mes