The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-07-11

the price OF the ticket?'
One ticket, he said, politely and
slowly, lis seven shillings eleven
and half pence; four tickets would
be thirty one shillings and ten pence;
that from forty shillings wou d leave
eight shillings and two pence, which
| have just given you"
And when | apologized for my
slowness, on the ground of not being
familiar with English money, he
said. Certainly; suppose l should
have the same difficulty in your
country"
| will say just he~e that we met
with the same courteous treatment
from every official OF the English
railroads that we had any dealing
with. They were all kind and help
full, and exceedingly polite. Another
little incident illustrates this.
We had been advised by our
English friend to try third class cars
before buying all second class tickets
as we had expected to do. Ac-
cordingly, we bought third class
tickets from Chester to Winder
mere, and found them very salts
factory, until change of cars took
us into a crowded train, and we
were not able to get seats together.
Then we went into a second-class
car, and paid the difference in the
price of the tickets 10 the guard.
There was only one other occupant
of the car, a very nice looking Eng
lish gentleman. He heard the con-
versation acout the money, and
said, when the guard was gone: He
has overcharged you You have
paid too much by five shillings seven
pence, taking out a railroad sched
ule and substantiating his statement.
We were little chagrined, but
laughed it off, saying that we had
come partly for experience, and we
were getting it,
But. he said, you needn't lose
money while you are doing L. Now
if you will go to the station master
at Windermere and explain the
matter to him, l think he will be
glad to rectify it.
l acted upon his suggestion, stated
the case, showed the receipt which
had been given me, and told the
station-master that l thought the
guard had simply made mistake,
without any intention of taking adj
vantage OF us.
He looked at the schedule and
said You are right. He has over
charged you five shillings and seven
pence, and am very much obliged
to you for reporting it. Please give
me your London address, and will
send you the money.
And when we reached London,
week afterward, the money was
there.
Now we boast a little of our rail-
road system in America. Have any
of you ever had more satisfactory
treatment than this in your native
land?
| There is some room for the boast
in regard to the cars The European
cars are very far behind ours in point
of convenience. Imagine a train
with no toilet or closet arrange
ments, no water, no dining cars, no
sleepers, and no checking system,
and you have the convenience of the
English railway. The cars them
selves are very different from ours,
being much smaller and lower, and
divided into four or five compart
ments. These are, as much as any
thing, like five omnibuses set side
by side, and opening at each end
upon a step which goes the length
of the car and is just even with the
station platform, thus etfectually
preventing accidents. The door has
window, which drops by means OF
a leather strap, much like those IN
our hacks, and window on each
side of this gives a good outlook.
The seats are facing each other, and
so, of course, one half the passen-
gers ride backward. The cars are
very comfortable. being cushioned
so high as to form a perfect head
rest, though one does think long
irgly sometimes of the fresh linen OF
our reclining chair cars.
The first, second, and third class
compartments are generally ranged
side by side in the same car, and
differ only in their finish and fur
nishing and the number they seat.
The third-cla compartment is fin
ished in painted wood, is uncar
peted, upholstered in coarse reps,
and is designed to accommodate ten
persons. The second class is finished
in natural wood, is upholstered If
plush or a better reps, is carpeted,
and accommodates eight persons.
The first class has a better finish,
is upholstered in leather, and i:
divided by arms into six seats.
: One noticeable thing about the
European railroads is the great army
: of porters at every station. They
f run along by the train before i
! stops, and are ready as it slows VI
to open the door, take your baggage
convey you to the waiting train, o
put you into a cab, as you may wish
e and for all this you pay-tuppence
| Our invaluable English friend hac
E informed us that tuppence O
/ thrippence was enough-all the Ems
i lish were in the habit of paying
.l,...o.l .,,n,,r A r,aricnnS mid ,,n1,cl