The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-02-28
wHATTHEY THINK OF US.
AN AMERICAN TRAVELLERS Elk
PERIENcE ABROAD.
Host Absurd Notions That Some EnsIishmen
Have OF American Civilization and Cal-
usztion--0ar Distances Is What
Staggers Them Most.

part OF the English people ms TO
greatly surprise US. writes T. NJ
Phillips In Arlxansaw Traveller.
The experiences OF one OF our coun-
trymen In England may serve 10 show
this. and mark some OF the peculiar
tiles OF British character. This gen.
ueman. whom we will call Mr. Ira
verse, bore letters OF introduction
from some OF our scientists and people
OF good standing in America, TO gen.
tlcmen In England. The presentation
OF these letters secured him the enfree
Of good society. and in Manchester he
received au invitation TO dine at the
house oil one Captain Browning.
gentleman occupying good Official
position. They sat down TO dinner.
the hostess serving the meats and who
addressed him thus:
"Will you have white bread and
chicken tixins. or corn bread and com
mon doin's. Mr.. Traverse?n
Our traveller looked at the lady in
amazemcnt lie would have been SUR
/ prised II the question had bceu asked
him In the back woods OF Maine or on
tho prairics OF Texas. but this was In
the dniug-room OF an English gentle
mani
His first thought was, "!he lady
wishes to insult me. but as she Is "A
lady ! must swallow it as we'll as
can" so he smilingly made answer.
You will excuse me Mrs Browning,
but scarcely understand your ques-
ton.
What, you-an American. and not
understand thatr' she exclaimed.
I'll suppose the explanation must be.
you have somehow gotten the idea, we
Yankees across the water are in the
habit OF addressing guests ut our din
Vegetables in this manner. II so, per-
init me to say, | never heard such an
inquiry or anything approaching TO 1t
in any part OF the United Statesn
surely you must have heard such
question before on your side OF the
Atlantic the lady continued.
"No madam, certainly never did
Pray how did you got the idea, such "A
crude. ] might almost say rude. ex-
preston was ia use therc?n
why. Mr.. Dickens. Ia his Ameri-
can notes, says he was asked this qucs-
ton ia America.
We'll, madam, do not wish To
question Mr.. Dickens veracity, but
certainly il anyone In tho United
States he was at all likely TO meet at
the dining table asked him such a qucs-
ton, it must have been to play upon
his credulity, TO fool him To the top OF
his bent or jocosely. as one in Eng
land might use some slang expression,
and not In sober earnest"
In subsequent conversation our trav-
eler found Captain Browning shared
his wiie's opinion. that the masses OF
our people are booriSh and uneducat-
ed, bearing no favorable comparison
with the people OF England.
IL happened that at this time Mr..
Traverse had not read Dickens SLAM
der upon the American people, en-
titled, american Notes" but on sub
soquent perusal. no found the words
ia question put into the mouth OF the
landlord OF hotel at Belleville.
Illinois. and he often wondered alter
wards II this hotel keeper the jolly
dog might not have had many a
hearty laugh with his comrades at the
way he fooled the credulous and
projudiced Engllshman.
Our traveller found the average
Briton knows nothing OF the mighty
wave of settlement and civilization
which in the last hundred years has
swept over our American continent.
To him the domain OF the United
States Is still region OF dense forests,
OF lonely rivers. and OF great prairie
deserts; while buffaloes aud savage
Indians still haunt this Wilderness IA
la Fenimore Cooper few short
hours journey west OF New York city.
The first question asked him by
nearly every one he met was: Have
you over seen the Falls OF Niagara?n
and second. ia awe struck tones:
"Havo you ever boen IN the American
iorcsts?"
In Liverpool lady asked him:
'Do you live Ia New York. Mr..
Traverse?"
"No. madam--in Illinois"
"Ah. indeed How far IL that from
New York;"
"Abont thousand miles west.
madam
"A thousand milosm she exclaimed.