The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-16
A CLOSE OBSERVER.
THE YANKEE DRUMMER'S STRAIGHT
TALK ABOUT EUROPE.

bigger than London, remarked the lit |
tie man in the cross seat with an air Of |
wisdom
'No, stree, it isn'tl" said the big red |
haired man who sat alongside of him as
he busted an invisible speck from his
new coat. 1T won't be marker to
London. I've been there"
"What-to London?"
"Sure, have. 1t was three years ago,
and l know what I'm talking about
Now, it's a strange fact that there are
some fellows in our business that'll
travel all around and never see any
thing. l always keep my eyes open in
strange towns. 1t gives man things to
talk about and it broadens him. i"
The little man began to eye his CON-
panion with new interest. He pondered
his sage words for minute and said:
"How'd it happen?'
"Why, it came about just after l left
you at st. Louis l returned to New
York and brought back with me $50, 600
worth of orders. That pleased the firm,
/ can tell you, for no one was doing any
business in those days. Our foreign buy
er was i'll and as was pretty well post
ed on what the trade wanted the firm
said to me:
Here, Jones, you go over to the
continent and do our buying this win
ter Did / go? Well, does duck swim?"
"WEcro Gid you go?' asked the little
man
1
London, Paris and Germ my"
"Say, what kind of a town is London
anyway? I've always wanted to know.
"Well, III tell you on the level. It's
bum, two for cent place. It's no
good, and that's straight. I've been
there Don't you let anybody fool you
about it, You can read all of this jubi-
lee stuff you want, and if any one tells
you London is any good you just tell
HIM that Jones said it was on the bum. "
The little mans face frightened up,
evidently from the delight of getting
authoritative statements first hand, and,
with the air of a man who wanted to
improve each shining hour and add to
his stock of knowledge, he said
Tell me about London. Is it any
thing like New York;
mot a bit know all about the
town. It's 25 years behind the times
It's like New York was before the war
Why, honest. now, there are whole
rows of houses that look like they were
falling down. The streets are dirty and
crooked, and all houses are built flush
with the street 1 couldn' do any bust
ness there at all They are a saving
lot, those English a."
"Did you see any fine buildings?"
mot one, except a church or two.
Now what I'm telling you is honest.
There isn't building in the whole
town worth seeing, and if there was
you couldn't see it halt the time. It's q
dirty, foggy place and not fit to live in.
It's an old apple woman OF town. Ev-
erybody in London drinks ale or gin.
Pm telling you straight, it's ON the
bum.
"Paris is bigger, isn't it?''
"Well-er-no Not exactly bigger
London is a whaling big place and
don't you make any mistake. l rode
right straight ahead one day from III
the morning until 2 in the afternoon,
and was in London all the time Par
is is different. l got some great bar
gains there p"
! Ibid you take your wife with you TO
Paris?'
mo; she staid in New York because
: was going on business. can tell you
all about Paris, and you can rely on It,
for I've been there.
The little mans eyes frightened IN
anticipation, and he said:
, Tell me all about it-everything.
paris" said the big man in the
tone of platform orator, lis all right,
l and you can say that / said So You
can live there and see the town on IL
francs day-that is $2-good living
too Sleeping costs you 40 cents night,
, and YOU get a room that would cost you
81. so in New York. Interpreter? Now,
9 that's nonsense that you've read. There
were four of us in the party, and when
g we started out we hired an interpreter
When we'd taken about two OF them
! French drinks-cognacks they call 'em,
sort of brandies they are-we gave the
T INTERPRETER the grand bounce and we
!. didn't see him again. Three OF those
cognacks will make you talk French like
t a native. Fact, because tried it. -Four
). of them will make you feel as If you
y had taken a $4,000 order for goods
a that the firm wanted to get rid OF.
. ibid you see any interesting build
ings or places9"
"Saw the whole outfit, and it's nc
1 great shakes. The Paris boulevards are
;. pretty fine, though. 4"
The little man looked DISAPPOINTED
i at his friends meagerness OF detail
= Then he remembered Germany, and ht
: asked his friend what he had seen there
"Now you are getting right into my
: stamping ground" said the big man
a "Germany beats them all went t.
Q Berlin, and, say, bought line OF sat
Q inets there that netted the firm $40, 600
Now, what do you think of that? Wa
r not that good stroke? oh, l tell yor
Germany is my stamping groundP
"What interested you thereT