The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-06

centuries age. Here I'm England end aa-
Jacent territory the purifying breexes Of
American progress are beginning 10 scat
ter the roxious gases Of European decay
But / viii take you 20 the continent by
and by. Juss now we are In England ard
] want 40 give you sort OF rough nat
truthful pan sketch Of an Engisshuan at
home ar ne appears 30 American eyes. IL
i were trFjag 20 write q dictionary I
would define an Engisshman OF the upper
or upper middle classes as a perfectly pre-
served antessiiavian relic. composed two
thirds Of seIf-conceised selGshnass ard the
remainder CT equal parts bombast, appe-
ttIe and Ignorance, with "a ineradicable
dogu'atsc contempt for any public or pri-
sate rights except his own personal in
feseSs.. and suiky. jealous anftpathy TO
everything except money--outssde OF Eng
iand-and especially to American freedom
and progress This definition may seem
harsh and tend 10 stir up the spleen OF
men who. hating To sec themselves as
Others see them. dislike in greater de-
gree TO think that there can possibly he
anything worthy % imitation outside OF
England and the English. I am. however,
very glad TO be able TO qualify my re-
marks by stating that they do not ap-
eaksS. or the better portion OF the middle.
class or the better portion of what IS
called in Britain tine lower or iaboring
class who, as a rule. are broad liberal and
progressive in their VIEWS and Of consider
able Intelligence To them Britain owes
all 81 her present prosperity. They main
tain her reputation abroad and pre-
serve order at home. being feared
as weai az Gespised and hated by the aEisto-
cratic classes, to whom belong such cor
rnpsionists as Sir Charles Dixie and Oscar
Wilde. and feared as well az respected and
hated by the hover criminal classes And
this respectable class. who make Britain
what abe is today do not dare Tor caraD
to hold up their heads and walk erect as
becomes free meE. Even the more decent
Of tho aristocracy. who are progressive and
Intelligent and more morally inclined wear
p erirging and ap9iogetir air. as II rather
ashamed OF being upright and honest. a
stranger looks In vain for the frank. inter-
rcgatlye glance OF Western American eyes
or the free, unshaeklod step OF foot or
swing OF arm to which he is accustomed in
the New World, the only approach To lt
being the defiant ilon-at-bay look OF the
ha hituaI. hardened criminal. And how can
II well be- else when each class or profess
sion or rank IL subsergient to . higher?
The law OF precedence prevails eyerywh here
10 degree both comical and unjust. The
man OF the shop. who may be a retailer OF
peanuts or popcorn, takes precedence OF
the man OF tle pillow, who may be author
of THE ccttars Saturday Night" or TO
cedence or the lawyer. The iicentious
nohieman takes precedence OF the pastor.
The carl OF the baron. the prince OF the
duke, the king or queen OF the prince. and
/ have been told that the present young
emperor of Germany begins each day by
kicking himself for not being as omnipo-
tent as the God who made him: aud from
some OF tho other insane utterances and
antics IL looks as If there might be more
than grain nj frtfn In tho Story
To practical common sense Americans
who are accustomed to calculate the
value Of any man upon the basis OF his
actual utility and behavior. and not alone
upon his bank account. general deviltry.
or accident of birth. such gengs-on seem
the very mountain top of solemn foolish
ness bur 'nev are the backbone 40 well
as the offspring of royalty and aristoc-
racy-reminisecnces Of feudai days, and
such are very dear TO the heart of I'M
progressive Europe.
Gradually however. the cobwebs are
being swept away, and the life lahors os
the grand old man, William r. Gladstone.
Henry Iahouchere and other liberals
are beginning 10 bear fruit
hut there are so many queer things I'm
this queer oid-fashioned land that we
must Just glance at them en- PEASANT. So
let us take ths train for North Britain"
as Scotland Is called here, and at Some
future time we may have more To gay
about the English. Is that the train
Great Scott, what cars. / saw some Old
relics like them i'm the Chicago exhibit
tiun, but I supposed they We're only kept
like old china. TO show how the world IS
improving.
There. there. please do not speak az
ears" I'm this country: they are called
'kerridges." my dear. and the English
think they are the only comfortable con-
yeyances in the world Just as the snail
thinks hts household arrangement the
hest that ever could or can be invented.
and mites as poor humans who have TO
leave our house ut home when we travel.
Then the English "kerridges" do rot
start from the depot oh. dear. no;
they leave he station"
| will ten you moro about them in my
next. All aboard. Au revoir'
T FORRES.