Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-06-01

the way as he fed the IsraelItes Of old ID
the wilderness. The greater part Of them
were ignorant Of the distance, and with
the eagerness of children would inquire
at every town III that was Jerusalem?' r
Alas! none Of them ever reached the
promised land. Finding Themselves dis
appointed Of the quails and mamma they
expected, they were compelled to resort
to force to obtain food, consequently the
inhabitants rose up against them. AT
one place we are told that the Danube
was turned from its course by the
slaughtered bodies thrown into the river.
Then we come near that famous town
Of Rouen, where the brave, the heroic,
Maid OF Orleans yielded up her life at
the stake, In front of the church Of st.
Ouen, whose spire points heavenward,
to where her glorious spirit found re-
lease. 1t Is the disgrace OF her country
men to this day, that this barbsrous
thing was allowed, but all they did Ia
expiation could not bring back the tor
tured soul. Paris has fine equestrienne
statue OF her In armor, In one Of the
public squares.
Then the dreaded Channel Is reached
once more, and with fear and trembling
all embark. TO get II possible star from
the madding crowd" we find remote
corner in the leeway Of an "Ancient
Mariner" who, when we compose our
self to recline on one Of the benches,
with grip-sack for head-rest, gallantly
takes off his tattered coat, and folds II
up for pillow. Though the object of
his sOlicitude was not Queen Elizabeth,
nor he Sir Walter Raleigh, and the rag
ged greasy tarpaulin was not the gold
embroidered cloak Sir Walter threw In
the mud for the queen to walk over, yet
the act Of galIantry was not wasted.
We are sorry to spoil this little roman
tic story by telling you that the air was
redolent with the fumes OF tobacco,
whiskey and onions, that arose from our
impromptu pillow, yet We could not re-
ward our Sir knight with anything but
sweet smiles-and sweeter sixpence.
We must not forget the young man,
the only other occupant of our railway
stall, the remainder of the distance to
London, who evidently got very fright
ened by our looking In his direction out
of the window. Feeling sure by his
looks that he must be an Englishman or
American, consequently, we thought IL
could be no breach OF etiquette to ask
him II the hamlet we were nearing was
not Midway. In the most perfect Eng
lish, and without the remotest vestige OF
an accent, he answered, IL don't speak
English. speak French" "Ah, par
dom, we say, and Immediately ask the
same question In French, when he hasti-
ly gathered up his 'trsps," and rushed
out of the train, before IL hsd time to
stop. He had evidently been reading
Max O'Rells advice to Frenchmen In
his book on England, and visions OF de-
signing women and blackmail rose up
before him.
Then dear old smoky London Is again
reached, with Its warmth and welcoming
faces-and then the memorable visit to
the Old Curiosity Shop, made immortal
by Chas. Dickens. The Identical old,
low, tiny building itself, In the same mar
row, bleak street, though new tall brick
buildings have gone up all around II, al
most crowdlng Il into the street. Ii Is
presided over By the same quaint Dick
ems character, and his beautiful young
dauyhter-and the same black and white
and yellow cat, sitting asleep by the fire-
place.
Then more reluctant good-byes at the
embarkation on board the massive steam
ship Massachusetts, 5000 tons bur-
then. 450 feet long, and manned by l25
crew. The port is London, and we sail
down the Thames, past the meridian OF
Greenwich, past the Scilly Isles, out into
the open sea once more. The special
pilot who takes Us through the Channel
goes ashore at Dover, and We have no
pilot but the One whose hand alone can
bring US safe to hsrbor.
The passengers are seventy-four In
first cabin, and sixty-three blooded cat
tie In the steerage, from the Islands OF
Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney, con-
signed to Mr. George Vanderbilts farm,
"Biltmore." There many distinguished
people on board. among them poet
laureate who makes rhymes on the
names Of the passengers, but when he
comes to one name on the passenger list.
To rhyme il sure will tar him.
Would that We were able to describe
to you the grandeur, the beauties, the
glories, and the periis OF this thrilling
two weeks on the ocean, but words fail
US. For the first week, all but favored
few were laid up in their hunks by the
turbulence of the waters; but 10 one OF
the favored few, there was nothing so
grand as to sit out on deck and watch
the varied moods Of the ocean, never two
DAYS alike. Sometimes never white
cap OF foam to be seen, but the waters
black as ink, and the gallant ship would
ride msjestically up one side OF these
mountains OF inky darkness, resting for
a moment on the top with n shudder and
a groan, before plunging down on the
other side. The next day, as far as the
eye could stretch In every direction,
nothing could be seen but white foaming
pillows, rising high, high up In the air,
as you have seen the surf rolling In at
the seashore, and the line Of the horizon,
instead of being straight, was scalloped
with great mountain peaks Of sea, rising
up against the sky. The giant ship
piowed through these pillows, rocking
and putting and snorting and straining
every nerve, like an infuriated charger.
In this tremendous sea, We watched
one day, "Three fishers that went sail
ing" or at least three fishing vessels,
and saw the thrilling spectacle OF ship
wreck. Once, twice, thrice, did the frail
bark 20 down out of sight behind 81
gantic mountain of billow. We held our
breaths, imploring that the nearer steam
er which had seen its signal Of distress,
might reach the doomed craft In time to
save the poor wretches lashed to the
masts to prevent being washed over
board, but alas! our prayers were un-
availing, and the outstretched arms OF
the poor victims appealed In vain. For
the last time It disappeared, to rise no
more, and the cries were stilled forever.
We afterwards learned that the vessel
had been damaged by icebergs, and the