Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-23
THE HUMAN HOG ABROAD.
British Specimens as Found In Continental
Trains.

From the New York Sun
To grasp the English character on all sides
one must travel with Engishmen. They, and
that means the provincial Englishmen dis
hnguished from the more civilized English
men of London are full of suspicion which
they do not take the trouble TO conceal. They
are convinced that everything and everybody
in foreign countries are devised for the sole
purpose of inconveniencing them. They feel
that the only safe course for them to pursue is
to speak to no one if it is impossible to avoid
speech; to speak 10 no one civilly if speech
must be had; to treat every one as their infe-
riors; to be repaid for the Inconvenience of
their existence and presence by mcivility and
hoggishness. Otherwise. as Radicals would
say, they are the civillest. most aIniable we'll
mentioned people in the world.
There is another side TO the English pro-
vincials character but this is the side obtrusive
on continental railway trains and in continental
hotels and here are two stories which illustrate
this side:
There is a certain western American, jovial,
honest young man. who delights in being of
service TO his fellow travellers everywhere in his
journey through this vale of SORROWS. Last
summer he was journeying from Strasbourg to
Frankfort. and in the same compartment with
him were young Englishman and his sister.
from somewhere in Yorkshire. The young
American gave the Englishman. soon after the
Journey began, several papers be had bought.
The Englishman stared at him, took the papers
and did not thank him. He held to all of them
till he had read the first his sister sitting with
folded hands. When he had done with the first
paper he gave it to his sister. The Young
American sympathized with a girl who had
such beast of brother. and, although she
was neither young nor comely. resolved to do
either OF them any service in his power By way
OF redeemiug the reputation of his sex.
When they got toward Frankfort the two
English people talked together about trains
southwark through the Black Forest. They
consulted an old time table and decided that
there was no train that day. The American,
who could not but hear this. said:
II you will pardon me. there is a train today
which You may catch at Frankfort
MY time table says not, said the English
man stifiiy.
Here is later time table which will give YOU
the train. " said the American
lhe Englishman looked at it, grunted and
grew silent. When they got into the big station
ut Frankfort 1t was necessary for all TO descend.
The English couple had several small bags and
one n'ise afialr about as heavy as a kes of nails
and three times as bulky.
Could be of any assistance to your said
the American, who had only a light bag
Yes. said the Englishman. Lift out that
bag for me-" He pointed to thu big bag.
Il was determined to get word of thanks
afterward. in telling the story. $50 lifted the
bag out, and then dragged il to the other side
OF the narrow platform"
"Aw-don.t drag that bag about, please"
said the EnglIshman
The American stood with them waiting fo-
the thank you, but it did not come Instead.
the Englishman said:
Go with my sister and me to the restaurant.
We cannot speak German
so the American went with them, ordered for
them and watched them eat, still hoping that
the two Britishers would redeem themselves
But when they got through the man said: Take
us back to where the train comes in
The American was interested. He had seen
discourtesy. or what he had thought was dis
courtesy, in many parts of the world As a
unique study of the human hog this episode at
tracted him. He went back with them waited
In vain for thank You. and then lifting his
hat with an elaborate bow. he started away.
He had got but few hundred feet when the
Englishman came after him. Il say! L say.'
he shouted, ''come here,''
But the American waited until the English
man came. Perhaps he has remembered his
manners" he thought. But he said
II say. we want you to come back here and
wait with us till the train comes. There might
be some mistake, You know"
'4s that alp said the American. Did YOU
ever hear of a pig dog?'
NO. said the Britisher. whats that?"
"a pig dog" said the American. lis what
one German calls another when he wishes to
call him by the most contemptuous name in
the world. Now. will you tell your sister for
me that she is travelling with pig dog?''
81 don't think We have" began the Brit
isher.
You don't understand me-" said the Ameri-
can. Il mean that You are a pig dog, YOU
ID numbskuli."
"Oh, said the Britisher. "I've ALWAYS heard
that you Americans were beastly rude and all
mo- ola I 4
nose"
But the American, being much larger. laughed
and walked away.
The second story is scene in compartment
of train from Brussels to Paris. There was
just room for twelve persons in the comnar-
ment ana twelve had got in-several American
women and men, Belgian, several Frenchmen
and one Englishman. The Englishman had got
In last He had strained himself to lift a huge
and heavy bag into the rack Just above the
heads Of the two American women. Then
he sat down next the window and on
posite the Belgian, and. spreading himself
as much as possible, buried bis rosy face in a
newspaper.
When the train got under way Git was a fast
express) the bag began to sag the rack in q
most alarming way. Everybody. except the
Engiishman, fell to watching it and to wonder
ing how many miles would pass before it broke
the rack and fell upon the heads Of the women
At last an American man. touching the Eng
hshman to attract his attention, said: II think
your bag is going to break the rack aud fall
upon those ladies' heads"
The Englishman looked up, gave one of those
lnsular grunts and absorbed himself in his
newspaper A little further on the train lurcbed
and the rack gave foreboding crack. Again
the American spoke: Il think that bag will fall
and seriously hurt those ladies'"
The Englishman grunted without looking up
and gave no other sign. When the American
spoke again. a little more impatiently, the En-.
glishman said. surlily:
II will trouble you not to trouble yourself
about my belongings"
1t was summer. The windows were open.
The train was gong forty miles an hour The
Belgian arose, took the bag and heaved il
out Of the window. Then he smiled and sat
down.
The Englishman jumped to hb feet and
doubled up his fists. Everybody in the car
was laughing loudly. All the men were laugh
ing jeeringiv. and, as the Englishman rose,
all except the Belgian rose also. The English
man sat down again. At the next station he
got out, and as he walked away from the train
he must have heard the laughter that followed
him. Il have met Englishmen in all parts of
the world" said the Belgian. who was a gentle
man and nobleman, land have learned tn at
there Is only one way to get on with them and
that is by treating them as they treat you. 1t
is hard for them to distinguish between courtesy
and servility.'