Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-11-02

have to get OUT at tho next street. corner
and pay your faro on another car"
l was acquiring information rapidly,
but still l was not pleased.
Tho other car took us TO tho station. l
went to tho ticket Office to make inquiries
about tho Hook of Holland.
"Oh, you want tho boat express" said
the clerk, that leaves at o'clock from
the Beurs station, two miles from here"
lis there no other train that goes before
that from this station|
Yes, there is ono at $3.50, another at
6:15 and one at 7:51."
"They all reach the hook before the boat
express, l SUPPOSE
"Oh, certainlyp'
VERY we'll, 1 will take two tickets
now" and l got them.
is there good hotel near the tho STA
tion?' asked.
There is buffet in the station, but
If you want a good dinner you will have
TO go to one of the first class hotels for it"
And where arc they?"
Down in tho center Of the town and
at the steamboat landings"
Good heavens!' l exclaimed. lis there
not hotel nearer than that"
mo; this is the resident portion of the
atty"
So learned that Rotterdam differs in
this respect from almost every other city
in Europe. They have table dhote in Rot
terdam at the somewhat unusual hour Of
$3.50, and by the time we got down town
it was 6. So we concluded to go to a res
taurant and order what we wanted. By
this tino tho person who was with me had
oil IN
thing whatever about foreign travel.
The guidcbook said that the best cafe
was in the Arcade, and we made try for
but tho street car conductor put us
40 wrong track, and we ultimately
;:yo into q restaurant that was exceedingly
second class.
Ny partner began to be afraid that the
Ill lack that was following us would ex-
tend to the train service, and that we
would miss the boat altogether, and so re-
fused to search any Longer for the Grando
cafe.
II may strike any person who does not
know the circumstances that the correct
thing to do would have been to take tho
boa5 express at 9 O'Clock, which went right
through to the steamer without stopping.
1t was just because this was obviously the
right thing to do that did not wish to do
it, and for this reason: The boat express
dumps down at the Hook of holland some
hundreds Of persons who probably have
not telegraphcd for berths. Now, had
not telegraphod for berth, and so was
anxious to get down to the boat before the
crowd arrived.
We reached the Central station in good
time for the 1851, the last train but one
which would reach the Hook Of Holland
from Rotterdam before the boat express
was so nervous about things by this
time that thought it right to make a
few inquiries on the platform. There was
large crowd on the platform, so 1 collar
ed man in uniform and said:
From what part of the platform does
the train for tho hook leave"
"There is no train for the hook" he
answered.
"Oh, nonsensep' replied. II have got
my tickets for 1.-THE 7:51."
THE 7:51 goes to Amsterdam" replied
the man.
Here was fine state of things. Irushed
back to the ticket office.
Look here" said, 1.-THE fellow on the
platform says that the 1851 does not go to
the hook at all.
"Well, you tell him that it does, an
swered the ticket man.
care you certain it does"
"Of course I am"
NThis seemed reassuring, so 1 went back
and again collared the man on the plat.
form.
"The ticket clerk, said, "insists that
this train does go through to the hook.
Are you sure there is not a carriage on
that goes that way?"
II tell you the whole train" answered
the man, "goes to Amsterdam. 1t stops
at Schiedam and The Hague and does not
go anywhere near the Hook of Holland"
He was so positive about this that my
faith in the clerk was once more shaken,
and rushed back to him.
"You will excuse my bothering you
again, but this man says that the whole
train goes through to Amsterdam, stop
ping at Schiedam and The Hague, and
does not go near the Hook of Holland.
Now, what have you to say to thatS"
'Of course it does not go near the Hook
of Holland. You get off at Schiedam.
Across the platform you will find another
train that goes to the hook"
"Oh, l see," replied much relieved,
"but think you might have told me that
before"
Ny comrade, who had been making in
quiries, having lost all faith in me, now
approached and said hurriedly: "They
say this is the Amsterdam train that is
coming in"
"Oh that is all right" answered air.
lily, waving ny nand to intimate that
knew all about It. ave get on this train
and go to Schiedam. There we change
ears and get to the hook. Don't you both
er. Leave it hl to me-"
By this time the long train came tear
ing in. The platform man saw us board
the Amsterdam train. He came up to