Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-02-26
London, England.
JANUARY, II, 1892,

llchllOn, Il VIII u anu SiNp 9Nh " ~"
particulars OF my experiences since
leaving Alma.
Arriving in time To spend Amas ~
the old fashioned way with my friends
My time has been good deal taken up
in sight seeing, the past two weeks
have in this respect been among the
pleasantest of my life. People here
have seemed TO try TO out do each other
in showing me kindness.
One of the most wonderful things to
be seen in London just now is an eXhi-
bition called Modern Venice" II
covers several acres OF lard and water
in the west end of the city, they have
built houses, shops streets, canals, All
an exact representation OF the old city
in Italy. You travel thro' the place III
''gondola an Italian boat turned M
at both ends and propelled by a genuine
Italian "gondolier." Each boat car
ries six passengers and much fun we
had; our ''gondolier" could not speak
English but he knew what 10 do with
tip" The canals were crowded
with these gondolss all in charge OF
imported Italian boatsmen. After
taking good view of the place from
the water ways We landed and lunched
at an Italian restaurant. y pretty ltal-
ian girl waited upon us. She WAS the
owner of handsome Roman nose, an
exact mate TO mine, OF course | made
love to her, much to the amusement of
my lady friends, but as | could speak
no Italian and she very little English
our acquaintance under the clrcum-
stances was somewhat limited.
Modern Venice treated as to music
and dancing, the stages, scenes and
costumes We're grand. In one ballot
there were 400 lady dancers AZ onestime
on the stage. When l tel you that
over 400 persons are employed at the
place and that the outlay was over
$500 900 before the place was opened to
the public you can have some idea OF
the way they go in ior amusements III
this city.
1t is simply impossible Cor me to de-
scribe 1.-THE OF what l have seen here,
the place is 50 large, and the peOple so
numerous and every one seems bound
to take as much pleasure out OF life as
possible. All wholesale houses and The
larger retail and all building firms are
closed every Saturday at noon, this
gives the people chance to be with
their families the half Of every Satur-
day and is a good prelude TO Sunday
which is spent 10y many in attending
church, and chapelS, the latter being
the name generally used for places OF
worship attended by deserters from the
established church. Boxing day, As
the next day after Xmas is called, IS q
great day with the principal theateIS
Then is produced the Christmas Fan
tomime5 al great expense. saw one
at the Crystal Palace which was grand
indeed. This Crystal Palace was the
same building which was used IN lsol,
being the first International Exhibition
eyer held aud from which All suisse
quent exhibitions have sprung into Elk
istence, II has been removed FROM
Hyde Park where it originally stood, to
Sydenham Hill, about seven miles 10
the southwark and is a great place to
spend holiday.
l could tell you OF st. Pdui's Cathed-
raj, Westminster Abbey and the vari-
GUS picture galleries and museums |
have been To but space VIII not permit.
| also did some Stunning" rs going
into the poorer part Of London is called,
what descent from wealth and ease to
poverty and vice, but | suppose it viii
always be SO more OF less in great cities
in spite of the millions that are spent
yearly in various ways TO relieve the
distresses of the poor.
The Parks Of London are numerous,
large and well taken care Of, have lakes
and beautiful walks and drives Hyde
Park, Regent Park, the Latter has the
gardens of the Royal Geological Society
in it. st. James Park anu Victoria
Park in the east end, also Battersea
Park in the west, these are the priDci-
pal, but there are many smallet ones.
Ali are well patronized by the public
to whom they belong, indeed they are
absolutely necessary to the health of
the people.
Travelling is very cheap here, less
than one half the cost in the states both
by rail train or omnibus. There are
many large drinking places also, ex-
pensiye buildings, much patronized by
the people, but have not yet seen d
drunken man in all my travels, if they
exist they have marvellous way of
keeping out of sight.
| was in the Jewish quarter Of the
city in one of my rambles and met with
some strange sights there but will not
l.