Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-11-13
WOMEN AS TRAVELLERS.
TWO GIRLS WHO WENT ALONE FROM
PARIS TO SAN FRANCISCO.

They Made the Trip in just Twelve and
One-Half Days--They Were Sick While
Crossing the Water, but They Received
the Best of Attention from Everybody.
American girls have that pluck which
makes them admired by all the world.
| The following is a story of two young
women who made flying trip from
Paris to San Francisco. The sisters were
at school in Paris, and expected soon to
be met by relatives. One forenoon they
received cable dispatch telling them to
come home as soon as possible. The
oldest girl is about twenty years old.
She Immediately sent for time tables.
While she was examining these her sister
was packing five trunks.
Miss F. discovered that they could
get steamer from Southampton which
was to sail the next day. She posted to
her bankers, and hurrying back Joined
her sister in packing. At half past s
that night they were being whirled out
of Paris. Neither of the girls slept that
night. When they arrived in London at
6 o'clock in the morning Miss F. was
forced to do some shopping, for however
rapidly women travel they make time to
do little buying, and in this case they
had started so suddenly that this was
absolutely necessary.
The American sisters caught the 1890
o'clock train for Southampton, not hav-
ing had time to eat luncheon. Four
hours later they were on their steamer,
tired and hungry and sleepy, but tri-
umphant.
ON THE OCEAN.
Every one on the vessel was most kind
to the young women and Landed their
pluck to the skies. The voyage would
for this reason have been made pleasant
for them, but their hurry and lack Of
sleep, together with their nerve tension,
made them easy prey for mans mortal
enemy, seasickness. From the time the
big steamer left England until she swept
up New York harbor the weather was
uncompromisingly rough. Not one day
was fair. When the young women
reached the steamer they were utterly
exhausted. and at once went to bed
This set the stewardess to grumbling
She wanted the girls to appear at the
dinner table ON the first day at least.
''Oh, don't urge US to go to dinner
again." cried Miss F. wearily, and
then she told the woman the experience
through which they had just passed
"You poor little dears," said the
woman, at once becoming gentle, and
for the rest of the voyage she neglected
every one else to look after "the brave
little American ladies"
Men and women joined IN little court
estes and attentions to the two girls.
One old crusty Englshman seemed to
take offense if any one monopolzed their
attention. He became their loyal guard
ian and walked around like a great pro-
tecting mastiff. 1t was he who stood on
the deck with them on the day that the
girls turned their eager eyes toward the
Statue of Liberty. The new friends of
"tthe brave little American ladies" ad-
vised them to stay in New York for one
day to get little rest. They would not
listen to such pleasant urgings. The
stewardess actually wept over their de-
termination to hurry on to San Francisco.
NO REST FOR THEM
"Only get one nights Sleep she
pleaded, but the girls had been told to
come home as soon as possible, and they
were deaf to all entreaties.
The steamer was at her pier at 4:30
p. m, and a train left Jersey City at
$50 p. m. In that two hours the girls
left the steamer, had their trunks e1-
- r. II,
and were driven to the railroad station.
Their adoring old Englishman, who did
not look as if he had moved raui6ly in
forty years, fretted and hustled around
the trunks when they were being
opened. He was in mortal terror lest
the girls would miss the train after all.
He stamped, got red in the face, puffed
violently and finally recovered the bag
gage with a cry of exultation. The
train which started westward that even
ing carried with two white faced young
women the good wishes of a shipload Of
passengers.
"No woman but an American would
undertake such thing" said the Eng
hshman, looking at two bits of Of white
lace where two handkerchiefs futtered
at the car window as the train rolled out
of the station, "and," he added, mo
woman but an American could succeed
in such an undertaking"
For the benefit of those who are inter
ested to know how the trip ended, and
to satisfy those who like to follow trans
atlantic records, it may be said that the
young women reached home IN safety.
To go from London to their home IN
San Francisco took them just twelve
ard one-haf days.-New York Tribune.