The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-06-30

music of these chimes seemed to wake us
every few minutes, striking also at the quar-
ters, as do all the bells on the Continent, in
tnls way, two Tor the quarter. one two and
one two for the half hour. with three double
strokes 1or the third quarter, and four double
strokes ana tnen the hour at last. When the
various clocks are moment or two behind
eacn 0taer, as often happens at home, they
almost keep up the striking until the first
CLOCK Is ready to begin again.
But Tor. the traveller arriving at sight on
an ocean steamer, there is no time for idle
musings, there is always plenty of business
ahead for us-frst at the station to dispose
OF our luggage, and afterwards at the hotels.
For TO be adrift almost at midnight on Sab
bath evening is not the same thing as at mid
day during the week.
We were very successful In getting good
rooms at good hotel, after first struggling
with various supernumeraries at the station,
where weihad similar experience to that so
often referred to by Mark Twain in his
travels Abroad" only that think ours was
still more unique. Our cahman was indeed
OF the Flemish class, brusque and burly and
none the better for the beer of which he had
francs and half which ought to have paid
MIN ne demanded five, and when had given
him four he still asked for another SUR das
beer, fur das bier" as he kept saying, |
gave him another half franc, but he shook
his head. saying, more fur das bier"
turned around, fatty refusing to hear more,
into the face of the man who had simply
lifted our two trunks for we had sent the
rest directly from the ship off the cab; he
asked ASK. franc for that laborious service, for
tending to notice his sullen abuse, | half
turned around into the eyes of man who
had taken them up and put them down Just
inside m thelrailing he also asked for franc.
linen came the lackey who had held our
hand bags, and the piteous look of fellow
who had been bowling and scraping and try
ing to tell us something for fee. At lit.
Tie distance saw meditative dienstman
ana knew be. too, must want something
how much do You want?" Imagine NV y1 first
surprise at such an answer, which I had
never once before heard, when he said,
Nothing, Madam" Abashed l think he
nsy at sae eronsr ye qt The Laugh
had just about concluded to take the next
steamer home II anybody else wanted any
thing. for If this Is the beginning of my Bel
step ahead" They:all laughed at this: and
this showed their Flemish humor instead of
Belgic stupidity. The knew they had got
francs where they. would only have received
pennies from their own people. They had
peen 10 me IKE the maiden doomed by
her fairy godmother in her wrath to send
forth toaGs and serpents at every effort of
speech. But finally was done with them.
and we were sheltered almost under the
dome OF Antwerp's old cathedral. The next
morning we slept until a very late hour, after
which we sought out the places of interest in
the city. But before we could do this there
were various experiences in getting off des
patches. hunting up our luggage again and
getting tickets. There is a most convenient
office for inquisitlve people at this station, to
which they tell everyone to go if he asks too
many questions on any subject. At this
one can find out everything they wished to
know, from their neighbours new bonnet, |
think, to the gravest matters of state. 1t is
called the Bureau of Information noticed
great many people going there from all the
ofhces. we found them very 0bliging and
were enabled here to find out all about our
prospective arrangements. They also have
a Bureau of Expedition, which seemed to
hinder everybody, and which is very long
drawn out, obliging us to interview not less
then ten men in trying to get two trunks
sent ahead grand citesse, christened it the
bureau of retrogation. But finally at midday
we were really ready to look up and visit the
places OF interest above us, and get ourselves
In trim for Brussels. A. H. q.