The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-03

when we recovered our mental balance,
we thought only of the many miserable,
ruined, men that recklessly gamble away
fortunes on Derby day at EPSON Downs.
Our return to ST. AIMS Terrace led us
by Westminster and the Houses OF Parma
ment. AS we passed them we exclaimed,
What change in these buildings since
first we saw them p In whatever direc-
ton ones eyes turn, scaffoldings are seen,
and rows upon rows of seats are being
erected, not only in front OF the buildings
but on their very roofs There is not an
available inch between houses or stores on
the route of the procession which is not
being utilized to view the pageant, which,
English people claim, is to be the grand
est sight the world has ever seen. lmpo-
sing Trafalgar Square has the ugly pine
benches extending it's whole length, and
high in the air. You turn to the Ma
tional Gallery and the classic outlines are
marred by the same disfguring lumber;
while no adequate idea can now be gained
of ST. Paul's, it is so surrounded by the
same necessary but ugly Jubilee stands.
Tourists, who see London for the nrst
time in this month of June, will be gr1ev-
ously disappointed; the beauty. the
grandeur of its imposing structures is
now hidden, lost, and the principal thor
oughfares are in such condition as to
make London seem like city built OF
pine boards.
We left Portland with at least one def
mite idea firmly fixed in our brains and
that was, that we would see the Queen S
Jubilee. We are proud to write that the
idea remains in the same fixed state; this
assertion would be fraught with deeper
meaning to our Maine friends, II we
could recall the exact number of times we
have been assured that we We're taking
our lives in our hands to make the at
tempt. Once only have we quaked and
our courage tagged. 1t was while drl-
wing over London Bridge at 6 p. M, to
watch the throng of people on their way
home from business and work. 1t was
almost a blockade, and the number OF
people seemed beyond calculation. viii
June 22nd be worse than this?'' we lnyol-
UNFAIRLY questioned, of no one in particu-
lar. The quick ear of our bus driver
caught the query, and turning he an
swereds politely, Begging your pardon
Madam, this is no crowd whatever com
pared to Jubilee jam; wait until as far
as you can see in front of you and behind
you your eyes rest OH nothing but people,
not only the sidewalks but the entire
streets filled with an almost solid mass OF
moving men, women and children; not a
single bus, hanson, team of any descrip-
tion Will be allowed on the streets the
2lst, 22nd and 23rd of June. You don't
know much about London crowds do
your cycling us critically; then he added
meditatively There's sure to be lot of
people killed. We admit frankly, and
are not ashamed of the confession-We
shivered-but still chung to the conviction
that with courage, prudence, and seat,
we can see Victoria celebrate her reign of
sixty years.
So health and Providence permitting,
and fortified with ample commissary sup
plies, we propose to begin with the early
morning light of June 22nd our endeavor
to reach our rightful position though
where that position will be is still mat
ter of conjecture Not by any means that
we have been overlooked or neglected by
her most gracious Majesty's most loyal
subjects. Not a day has passed in the
last three weeks that we have not received
from eight to ten communications and
plans concerning seats for the Jubilee.
These letters have a tendency to make
one feel important and pulled with pride
as to ones friends; they read as follows:
eve understand that you and 'distin-
guished guests require seats for the Ju-
bilee. We will gladly furnish them at
800 guineas a seat" Unquestionably
they think of us as millionaires, very
much disguised, and residing in ST..
Johns Wood strictly incognito; whereas
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, is, that we are waiting
only waiting for the last days of the
sale, when it is prophesied that prices
will fall and then we believe that pal
try plebeian pound, or less, will give us
all we want.
MRS. HERMANN KOTZSCHMAR.