Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-29
A EUROPEAN TRIP.
What One Sees on a Short Summer
Vacation.
WASHINGTON SCHOOLMASTER ABROAD
Mr.. Kramer, Winner of the Teach
ers' Contest, Describes His Journey.
PLACES HE VISITED

Written for The Evening Star.
The whole air Of a trip abroad is totally
different from any trip in ones own coun-
try. no matter how long may be the pro-
jected stay. One has a strange and de-
lightful sensation upon going down TO the
docks to behold the vessel which for more
than a week is to be his home. as she
floats with tunnels pouring forth clouds Of
the blacklist smoke, the decks crowded
with faces now strange to you, but soon to
become so familiar, and the rush and the
confusion of getting baggage aboard. Then
comes the cry of visitors ashore" and
after inrumerable good-byes friends are
| induced to leave the vessel AT last We
slowly pull out into the stream and amid
the mingled shouts and cheers Of our
friends and the screech of steam whistles
we are Off
OF Sandy Hook we drop our pilot, and
how important that rough seaman is in the
eyes of Us all, for he is the last link that
binds to home. The leathern pouch
which he carries contains the few poor
scattered thoughts that We have been able
to write as a last farewell. Life at sea
soon settles into a one rut-eating. walking
the deck and doing in the depths of a
a number of books along. thinking what
a glorious thing 1t would be to have a
whole week with nothing to do but read,
but all ambition Of that kind soon leaves
one and he is content to spend most Of
the time between meals doing in a chair
| and dong nothing for hours together.
The knowledge that We are nearing land
always brings a certain amount OF excite
ment to break the happy istlessness that
after eight days at sea, We knew that we.
on the next morning. must see land.
On Sunday. the Sth of July. We sighted the
Emerald Isle" No wonder that IL Is call
ed the Emerald Isle" for never in my life
had i seen grass SO green as II look
| ed to me that Sunday morning, as we
steamed around the north coast OF Ire
land and dropped anchor on Neville
Steaming on once more across the Irish
| sea, We pass up the Firth Of Clyde, and in
| the early morning hours the rafting of
| the chain and the ceasing Of the beat OF
| the mighty engine tell US that We have at
| last arrived.
On the Other Side.
Now comes the excitement Of landing.
| and our experience with what are to US
very strange customs begins. The whole
| travelling arrangements in England. and In
| fact, in all Europe, are very poor. You
must go out on the platform among boxes
| and trunks and see that your trunk gets
| safely on the train. Arriving at your des-
| tination, out you must get again, claim
your baggage and hold to 1t until by use
| Of money and persuasive eloQuence, you
| induce a porter to carry IL forward to the
| exit for you. where you must engage q
| drayman to take II to your destination
AS regards baggage. the only way to be
| happy is to take what you need In a large
valise and carry II into the compartment
| with you. and see that il does go with you
Otherwise, You may be informed when you
| inquire for your baggage that 1T has been
| put on by mistake some thirty miles down
| the road. After an incalculable amount Of
| worry, and living with a pocket comb and
| a handkerchief for toilet arrangements for
| several days, you may, or may not, re-
cover your lost property.
The thrift and cleanliness, characteristic
OF the Scotch. We found very strongly
shown in tie two handsome towns We WIS.,
ited-Glasgow. a splendid commercial city,
with fine. old cathedral and handsome mu-
nicipal buildings: and Edinburgh, which
by the very air of the place one could re-
cognize as an educational center. Edin-
burgh is a fine city. with many historical
associations, the old castle standing on a
promontory, overlooking the town, with its
memories of the Black Douglass and the
splendor of the Scottish nation. Hollywood
Palace calls to mind the story of the I'M
fortunate Mary, Queen Of Scots. Here are
her apartments, the place where Rizzio
was murdered. The guide pointing solemn
ly to dark, greasy looking spot in the
floor. and informs you that 1t is the actual
blood stain, and II you would not incur
his displeasure never allow him to suspect
that your American skepticism leads you
to doubt the veracity of that stain.
The lover of Scott is at home in Scot
land, for on every hand We see the evidence
OF the reverence with which his memory
Is regarded by ALA fitting token of the
love Of the nation is the beautiful and
graceful monument that has been erected
to his memory in this city Of Edinburgh
Following in the track of all lovers Of
1A or1 % H..
coed to Melrose, and from there, by car
riage, to Abbotsford, the home Of Scott
The house is kept just as IL was when
'Old Sir Walter" lived and dispensed hos
pitality in medieval style.
From Abbotsford we proceed to Melrose
Abbey, beautiful, UNCOVERED ruin i'm
mortalized by Scott IN his Lay Of the
Last Minstrel" Much of the delicate trac-
cry has defied the hand Of Time. and re-
mains to delight the eye Of the lover of
art. as fresh almost as when II came from
the hand OF the artist.
keni1vvorth, Warwick and Stratford.
Kenilworth is the next spot we visit. a
spot which today Is a monument to the
genius of Scott, for the ruins would have
remained unheeded, and stin continued TO
furnish stone for the building Of cottages
and the mending Of roads had II not been
for the quiet man. who. with his dog, spent
hours roaming about the picturesque old
ruins. weaving the meshes Of q grand ro-
nance. We spent several hours pleasantly
conjuring up in our imaginations the
shapes Of the past-the stately queen, the
courtly Dudley and sweet Amy. We WIS.,
tied the tower. viewed the banQuetting hall
and the garden where Elizabeth discovered
her fair rival, Amy.
Leaving the old ruin, with all Of its MEM
cries. We drive five miles through the garden
spot Of England to the "fairest example OF
ancient and chivalrous splendor which yet
remains uninjured by time"-Warwick Cas-
tia Here We had opportunity to see the
magnificence Of a modern earl as we passed
from room to room over polished floors with
treasures Of furniture. decorations and art
on every hand-tables Of inlaid precious
stones. some valued as high as $4,000
paintings by artists such as Van Dyke
Rubens and Raphael Of fabulous values-the
Assumption by Raphael having alone an