Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-08-13
THE ROYAL OAK INN,

July "a, 1896
DEAR DEMcCRAT:-
Our crowd is delayed by the rain IN
This little old fashioned village, SIS mile:
from Liverpool. We are stopping ID
typical English Inn, kept by a good
kind woman by the name of Mrs. Mich
lis Isles. There is ale, porter, stout,
and in fact all the drinks peculiar to
this country on tap. Everybody drinks,
but one very seldom sees person IN
toxicated. The rooms are old fashion
ed, the beds high and made of feathers,
but everything is clean, the sheets and
pillow cases are of linen, as they are
everywhere We have our meals any
time, but the custom is: breakfast at
O, dinner at I, lunch at 5 or $50 and
supper at Q, sometimes the lunch and
supper change places. fully intend
ed to write you from Liverpool, but was
so busy getting everything IN shape to
start that it was delayed. Then con-
cluded it might be best to wait until 1
knew something of the country and its
people.
The voyage over was very pleasant
and we enjoyed it exceedingly, but
there was so much sameness about it
that there is very little to write about.
Most of our time is put in III eating.
sleeping, walking talking and reading.
We had four meals day: at s, 1, $50
and a lunch at s. They were served
on long tables guttered to keep dishes
from upsetting in rough weather. The
menu was varied, the food well served
and cooked. None of our crowd missed
a single meal, nor were we one bit sea
sick. We had state-room all to our.
selves, and retired about ten and gen
orally slept until seven. These rooms
are all below deck and during the day
it is much nicer to remain above. The
decks were long and quite wide and it
gave US plenty of room to walk in.
used to like to watch the steerage pas
D.
came from almost every country.
There we're many nice people aboard,
and as it isn't at all hard to get &C
quainted under the circumstances we
found much time to talk. Our reading
was done IN steamer chairs on deck.
But think the best time of all was
after supper, when the cool evening
breeze sets in; we would put on our
sweater, overcoat and wrap all up in
steamer chairs and watch the ocean,
the people, and enjoy ourselves. 1t is
a good place to dream.
We came over in the steamer Lolita,
of the Cunard line. running out of Bos.
ton. l stood in with one of the seamen
and was all over the boat, from stoke
hole to ice machine. They had 5000
quarters of beef on board, and it was
always kept below freezing. We are
booked to come back on the large ocean
steamer Lavonia, sailing from Liver
pool to New York September IL.
Arrived in Liverpool Monday about
noon. The first thing was to clear our
baggage from customs, for England is
NOT absolutely free trade, having
duty on the Injuries, such as cigars,
tobacco, champaign, wines, and all in.
toxicants. tea coffee etc. ETC., and is
very strict on these, but the things the
poor man and common people uses
comes free.
Now think of it, let me tell you a
few things.in regard to American pro-
fection-or so called protection-that
protects the manufacturer and NOBODY
ELSE. We are a great people, but
great because of our ambitions. With
our advanced ideas, our improved ma
chiuery and skilled labor we should
LEAD the world ID manufactured artic-
les. If we would open our markets to
honest competitors it would raise the
standard of our goods. cheaper the
price and be of great benefit to all our