The Press., 1892-07-28
(Harper's Weekly.) OFF FOR EUROPE.

A SdilltiB uAy db buo uOckS Ol t&ly Ol our huge ocean-going boats is an inter esting and amusing occasion. The dock itself is nothing more than long shed stretching out several hundred feet into the river, with two offices, one on either side, and filtered all over with casks, bales and cases of merchandise, either uncalled for from the last steamer in or waiting for the next outgoing vessel. And the baggage! It comes down on the trans fer wagons and on the hotel 'busses and carriage foot-boards-mount of it. Some of it is labelled "Cabin," but most of it "Hold," and you see 1t run up the baggage gangway and swung out over the open hatchway. There is rattle and crash at the donkey-engine as these American "boxes" are consigned to the depths below. Next in importance is the hand baggage, and this consists not only of bags, but overcoats, rugs, and wraps of every conceivable description. The in experienced traveller has been told that they weigh all the trunks in Europe, and charge accordingly, so he loads himself down with bundles and boxes galore, for getting that the first principle of a suc- cessful going abroad is to travel in "light marching order"
 It is surprising, too, how much enthusi- asm can be kindled in the breasts of your friends when you are going abroad. In fact, you never can tell the measure of your own popularity until an occasion of this kind, when they combine to give you a "send-off," often going so far as to hire tug and an 'Eyetalian" band of music to accompany the party going abroad as far down the bay as the chartered steamer can keep pace with the Cunard, White Star, Guinon or Inman liner, or, what is more to the point, when the "send-off'' party reach a few of the white-caps and Some friends have come all smiles and cheers, others lachrymose and full of sighs. And there by the rail is party of five silent and constrained amid so much light-heartedness and hilarity. It Is mother and father and two sisters the brother,is leaning against pile of steam CT chairs, and the wandering, eager look, that brilliant sunken eye, and hectic flush on the pale, wan cheek, tell why he, when too late, is going abroad.
 And how many times some people will kiss each other! And how many last mes- sages, and frequently, too, commissions which mean an infraction of Uncle Sam's custom laws at the end of the return trip, are exchanged at the last moment! In the midst of all this turmoil and crowding and pushing to and fro, the old timers, with their record of many voy- ages, look on in amused disgust, and wonder why some people can make such fuss about such little thing as going abroad.
 A fortune, too, is spent on flowers. | Huge baskets, set pieces, wreaths, bou- quets and cut flowers cd in.fnitWm cover the tables of "Social Hall," and make ! the already close atmosphere heavier and more unbearable yet by their sweet per fumes. To me this floral extravagance means ridiculous waste of money. In a day they have wilted and dropped, and
 are thrown overboard.
 l Here comes an excited group up the I lcompanionway. You hear confused l tumble between man and woman about
 keys left on her bureau, and you are con-
 scious she has left the keys of her steam
 CT trunk behind. The man fairly shoots
 down the gangway, leaps into the nearest
 cab, and begins 8 wild drive for those keys.
 Meanwhile the women haunts the entrance
 to the gangway, and five minutes after
 the man is gone she finds the missing
 key securely slowed away in her pocket
 book. Her troubles of going abroad are
 beginning early.
 IN Now that ponderous whistle deafens 1 G ears of all on board. There are final 1tS -s and smiles and embracings, a rush down the gangway by the well-dressed mob, and then some climb on the nearby
 cases or gather on the outer end of the
 dock to catch the last glimpse of the ship.
 Handkerchiefs are tied to canes and par asols; there is much cheering and last
 farewells. One young man calls out in
 stentorian voice, "Give my love to Mary !"
 whereat there are cheers and laughter. And now at the far end of the dock there
 is a rattle and rumble, and two cabs come
 tearing along-one contains a belated
 passenger, who has just time to scramble
 on board; the other, the man who went
 after the key. And as the lady holds up the missing article, conciliatory smile
 upon her face, that man sinks back upon
 8 bale of goods, looking unutterable
 things. The key to the situation is plain
 to everybody. Now the "planks" are
 down, and slowly and silently the huge
 black ship, that seems so high out of the water that she looks like a great ware : house afoat, backs out of her dock, and
 is soon in mid-stream. Slowly yet she swings around, and finally squares away,
 her nose pointing for the Narrows. A moment she seems to hang, and to be
 taken aback by the tide, then forgaa ahead. The flag Is dipped, then hauled down from the dag-pole on the dock, and
 those on board are at last going abroad 
 ,I Harper's Weekly: Nothing is more 3 certain than that the free-coiaage failacy 3 would never have delnded so many un. , tutored minds had the public men wh0 3 recognized it az fallacy. instead oI lpusillanimously yielding tO the current : courageously breasted it at aa early stage The demard for the payment Of the na