The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-01-16

horde Of cabbies, each one more OF cut
throat in appearance than bis neighbor,
though in perfect keeping will, the dliapi-
dated trap he drives, all berating one an
other in an unintelligible cockney lingo
that causes You to wonder if you arc
really in England and it this be the mother
tongue.
Paying your truckman his legitimate
fee at so much per piece your traps arc
deposited OH the roof Of the unsightly CAB
or four wheeler according as you nave
little or much luggage. 1t creaks end
sways ominousIy beneath the accumulating
burden till you begin to glance apprchen-
siycly at the roof which, however, is En-
glish built and consequently never breaks
We now rattle up the long hill thronsh
the high walled gloomy streets towards 'he
railway station or hotels in the heart Oh
the city.
You will doubtless be greatly impressed
gith the vast and magniiccntly con-
structed though dingy granite docks as
contrasted with our flimsy wooden wharvcs'
Indeed the majority of things strike ono
with a sense of thoroughness and as nav
ing been done FOR all time, not as ten'-
porarY makcshift, and let NE add, Tor
utility, certainly not beauty.
If proceeding at once to London, two
main routes arc at your disposai. ne
Midland, the more picturesque, passing
through the lovely Dcrbyshirc, and the
Northwestern which uses Pullman cars
and is perhaps few minutes shorter
though less pleasing.
If YOUR party consists of six or seven
persons YOU can obtain n long private car
with connecting smaller compartment
on the Midland route This will be put
on the regular train if due notice DC gwen
reasonable time before starting.
An ordinary coach for smaller parties
can also be reserved. posters to that effect
being laid across the window-other con-
veniences are the lunches and raliway om-
nibuses. By wiring at any telegraph
station on the road, complete hot or cold
lunches will he put in your compartment
at special stations. These are served III
covered wicker hampers and contain
bread. meat. vegetables and wine, beer, or
mineral waters, not to mention plates,
Guns. glasses, knives forks spoons ana
napkins. The expense is about two shlil-
incs and sxpence You may utilize the
entire four hours of the journey to London
for the disposal of this repast and on COM
pletion have the hamper put out at any
station Ell rOutf.
\ still greater convenience consists In
wiring ahead (also at the company's e1-
pense) for one or two horse railway
omnibus to meet YOU at the London ter
minus. The one-horsc which will take
four persons and their luggage to any
point in the city for three shillings, seven
tv-fivc cents. and 4 slight gratnity, say
sixpcncc, whereas, two four-whceiers
would cost nearly double that amount
not to speak of the probable attempt on
the part of the driver to ovcrcharGe the
evident novice in the customs OF the Lon
don world
Ii your party consists of more than four
the two-horsc omnibus, equally as cheap
relatively, is at your disposal. Having
now fairly landed YOU in London | will
bring this already lengthy epistle to
close reserving few other points con-
corning London and the continent for my
next which will reach YOU ere YOU sail
R. B. ".
t--o. I'm - 1saI 4