The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-09-29

NnA1 E4N0kf1A1 AAA3AAA4AA0AAs 10 N34AI
d'hote dinner, cannot well DO imag-
ined. The food served in microsoop-
icnl portions and eminently unsatis-
flying from the American stand
point Is, however. -ot its worst fea-
ture. The long table where rows Of
hungry h0rdes dine II in itself dis
couraging TO the fastidious. and the
table manners of the average tourist
leave much 20 be desired. The
French and Germans are blessed
with, 10 seems. unfaggingly good
appetites. and they feed-I say feed
advisedly--in such . businesslfke
manner that q meal in their society
becomes q dreaded ordeal They en-
joy the viands SO undisguisedly and,
alas frequently 80 audibly that the
rue ION Of ones neighbor at dinner
bC,I- = an important one. and when
an American or Englishman falls 10
ones lot there Is, for that repast at
least, some balm In Gilead.
Put though the strict usages Of
etiquette are sometimes overlooked
by these good Teutons there Is no
question as to their courtesy and un-
varying politeness elsewhere. Bit
ter, If you please. is their shibboleth,
and a question Is always considered
with the utmost consideration This
kindly courtesy extends everywhere
even ON the trains, when the con-
ductor, armed with q tin case and
formidable iron punch, comes 20 col
lect fares A respectful salute In
bestowed upon each rider, a seem
ingly heartfelt Thank your is CIV
en- for the absurdly larger number
of pfennigs which make up the
cent tariff, and an almost fraternal
farewell follows the passenger as he
finally alights.
A visit to Cologne without a trip
down the Rhine would be something
like Hamlet" without the Prince.
SO down the Rhine We went
Now n river excursion to be bali
way pleasant needs plenty of sun
shine and balmy breezes- The
breezes We had, but they were toe
closely allied to cOld, cutting winds,
and sunshine there was none. In
fact, We nearly froze, and when the
threatening rain at last fell a more
miserable lot of pleasure seekers
were probably never collected TO.
gether on one small boat.
The cabin being, as suoh cabin,
usually are, somewhat smelly, 4" W
had no alternative but to stay on
deck So in self defense we literal
ly huddled TO keep warm. How We
Americans, who prided ourselves on
travelling with nothing in our hands
but our small bags, envied the Eng
lish their rugs and wraps-we. who
had erstwhile smiled in a superior
manner at the vast quantity Of hand
luggage which they carried, and
without which the true blue Britor
cannot be induced TO venture abroad
Our pride was laid low, indeed,
and we were tempted 10 follow the
example of IA young American who
with Yankee ingenuity, calmly IN.
packed dress suit case before tbs
entire ships crew and took there
from dress shirt which be utilized
as n lap rug, but our bags contained
nothing SO useful, so I'VE could not
an we would, follow in his wake.
In utter physical misery and men
tai detection we viewed the piotur.
esque river and its superb scenery,
and, though the latter is not to ms
mind equal to that of the beautiful
Hudson, there is yet a glamour OF
oId world romance surroundine
those moated castles and ivy cover
ed towers which blends unconscious
ly with the beauty of the scene, and
doubtless TO this same association
may be attributed much of the rap
ture with which generations of tour
lists have regarded the noble old
Rhine.
But all things have an end, even
an all day river trip, and, slipping
along at good rate of speed, pas
crumbling ruins, vineyards and
stately villas, quaint little villages,
thriving towns and pathetic waysids
shrines, weat last reached Mayence
and now, the discomfort over, we
reoolleot only the beauty. the poetry
of "A scene whose legends of bygone
centuries have given il an impsrish
able charm which will endure as
long as tourists of all ages and al
nations come and go.-Philadelphia
Record.
His Only Bet