The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-04-23
A BRITON'S LUGGAGE.
ETTEmPTa or AMERICAN ImITAToRs
TO INTRODUCE IT HERE.

eler aud His Rathtab.
As the travelling Briton is known in
this country by his luggage. SO the
American woman was once hated in
Europe because Of her saratoga trunk.
The world has escaped the general
adoption Of the saratoga trunk, but
worse thing seems possible, as British
luggage threatens to become interua-
tional Even now you may buy in this
town all the impedimenta with which
the travelling Briton cumbers himself
and bedeyils the rest Of mankind A
Broadway trunkmaker has for some
years past undertaken 20 fix tho thral-
dom Of these things upon his fellow
country men and women. and many
travelling Americans. especially the
wealthy and fashionable. are to be rec
ognized by the multiplicity Of British
impedimenta that they carry 20 and fro
in their frequent journeyings between
the old world and the new. More curl
ous still, those clever and initiative Jap.
anese have begun TO produce British
luggage identical with the original IN
the minutest details. even down 20 hand
sewed straps ON leather trunks, port
manteaus and the like; but. drolly
enough. the whole outfit is merely pa
per counterfeit Of the real thing.
American imitators Of things British.
lacking the fine humor u tie japanese.
have made 10 substitution of light ma
/ terial for heavy, but have taken ON the
I full burden Of ponderOus British hat
boxes, pOrtm.mteaus, rugs, bags, hold
I alls and even bathtuhs. IL was a travel.
ing American who gave 20 the world an
4 account Of a refreshing scene on board
n Mediterranean steamer bound TO Tan
I gier or some such Muhamm0lan port u
Z north Africa. A British passenger with
his bathtub had nearly pcstcred the life
Y out Of a meek, coffee culorCd MOham-
medan. who accepted the BritOn 5 cures
without a sign Of repruach. but when
I in the course Of getting the luggage
ashore the precious bathtuh fell over
board and sank ike lead, the harmless
follower Of the prophet was seen 10
pause in his work and dance gleefully
upon the deck. exclaiming in triumph.
"Oh. Mr.. Got,dIu,. Mr.. Gotldam go IL
is since that incident that Travelled
Americans IN their aping ~ British
ways have accepted even the burden -
the hathtuh.
A study Of haggage nc steamship
wharf or even at a large railway station
la New York is an instructive lesson as
10 the cosmopolitan character uf the
city There Is enc article ~ British
luggage that seldom survives more than
one journey within the limits % the
United States and sometimes gets no
farther inland than the New York hotel
nc which the traveller makes his first
stop. This article is the little trunk or
box OF jaVauuCd tim much usc-l by trav-
slers in Great Britain. The flimsy triflo
hardly survives the first encounter with
the American baggage handler. and
after the first journey II eco miles in
this country l. battered cut q all re-
semblance 10 its original roctiliuear self.
II Is an article Of luggage not suitable
TO the exigencies % American travel
A pathetic feature ~ the baggage at
the railway stations that are duurways
to the west j. tine immigrant luggage.
Sometimes n Is a mattress from the
steeragc wrapped abunt the fcw belong
ings Of the new made American. Again
il Is the corded box ~ the Irish. English
OF Scotch immigrant Il viii BE- recalled
how important "a preliminary 60 Char
lotte Bruutc's journeyinRs cut into the
great world from her Yorkshire home
was the curding ~ her box. The Cor "a
box Is as rare among the luggage a. an
. American traveller as the old hair q luk.
though both are occasionally seen The
seaman's locker. rectiliuear for "A stable
stowage and strong against accidents.
figures IN the luggage at steamship
wharves. One knows instinCtively its
contents II old clothes. Photographs.
carlos, tobacco and long treasured let
tiers from home and the array ~ pic
tures from the illustrated papers pasted
on the inside u the lid
The elaborate dressing cases that
some Americans and all well 20 do
Englishmen used 90 travel with are go
ing ont Of fashion. Il j. almost "A neces-
sity that the traveller with this pretty
piece ~ luggage take along a valet. for
the thing weighs like 50 much lead aud
Is ton precious To b. trusted to the ten
der mercies II the baggage department.
The travelling desk also has nearly dis
appeared, though some ingenious trunk
makers now produce trunks that open
30 A. 20 form decks The luncheun
hamper that used 10 accompany every
traveller across this continent in the
days before dining cars came into use
has almost entirely disappeared The
California milliunaires ~ early trans
continental travel carried enormous and
richly laden hampers and dispensed o.
ten princely hospitality 90 their fellow
travellers. The C.uuer hour on buard n
tranScontinenial hrain was picturesque
incident Of travel in those days The
travelling Briion in Europe still some
times carries his luncheon hamper. and
il l. often one Of the nuisances II Eurt,-
near. travel