The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-08
LONDON Y OPENED.
DLSILLUsIOSS OF lN Ey0LLSHMAN
ON THE THAMES.
Contrasts suggested by = New York Trip-The
Little Feat. the Peer Accommodations. the
slow speed, sna the Discnchantment or
the strauer-Same Pet Notions Dcatroyed.

LDrdoncr who returned last week aftcl n
months visit In New York. 81 am hawf sorry
that I wont over to that country OF yours"
WHY SOL the American asked. Take a
cab from the wharf to the hotel, expecting 10
pay u shilling for itl Or did you orer n happen
M tip 20 q policeman and get cluhbedr'
no, nothing OF that sort, you know" the
Ioadoner replied. Il was not Jolly green
enough to do either OF those things. I in
formed my self about your American customs
Sctorc [ went over. Max O'FSCll gives IA good
idea OF them in several OF his books. and l
read him carefully before starting. But. do
you know. l think some OF his statements are
Intended to be n bit sarcastic. l didn't ind
ererything just rs he describes It. However,
thai, Is not what l was driving at. I am
afraid your Yankee land has destroyed some
OF my pet notions. And It is not well to de-
stroy pet notions, don't you know"
Not In England, the American admitted.
an this country n pet notion is like n cathe-
dral; the more moss there Is on it the better, and
it must not De tempered with
Wis, yfs, exactly" the Londoncr continued.
you catch my meaning. IA | was saying. l
went over there with tho notion that every
thing here was just right, and not to Re i'm
proved upon. But you really are ahead Of US
in some particulars, don't you know!'
NO, reallyF' the American laughed, and
have you written about it to the TimesF'
Not yet. the Londoner replied. with a grave
face, but l an thinking OF it. What are you
lawinc att One never can tell whether you
Yankees are pokinS fun or not
Il was not laughing the American ex-
planned. 1T is merely a slight affection Of my
facial muscles, and the London climate agRra-
Yates it. But il you have allowed a pet no
ton to be destroyed, do tell me about it,"
Il was thinking OF q trip | took up the river
/ - C,-l.rEs emil .hn Enrtt.htunn -NOt
see, while l was in your country l made a lit
Ito sunday excursion to Coney Island. Not
that 1 cared specially for Coney Island, don't
you know. but | wanted to see how you mar
age the excursion business in America. So
went down to the pier and took a boat. and it
rather staggered me. II did, really. 1 had
no idea that there was anything in the world to
compare with our Thames steamboat service.
When / saw the crowds and the size OF the
boat, and the way everything was managed. It
set me to thinking. 1t did. indeed
MOI said the American.
Yes" said the Loudoaer, lit did. I was
not prepared for it. We have no steamboats,
on our river as large or as elegant as your New
York excursion boats"
II have noticed that, said that the American,
trying to splother a smile.
TT set me TO thinking, as I said" the Lon
doner went on. Il was rot prepared for i, you
see. But I like to be sure about these things.
Perhaps I ought to say as a loyal Britou that I
do not like to see anything better anywhere
than we have it at home. That's natural. don't
YOU know. So | would not adult the thing in
nv own mind at once. Perhaps | AM mistaken
in my recollection OF the size and sly lie ot our own
boats l said to myself: or, maybe these clear
American skies make everything iooS larger.
Anyhow. l am going up the Thames as soon "a
l get home, to make a fair comparison That
was why l went up the river lawst sunday.
Those skies OF yours" he continued. were
the most Objectionable thing l found in Amer
ica. don't see how you can stand the deadly
monotony Of it. Day after day it is the same
thing. clear blue sky and sunshine Now, here
we have vartety-rain. fog, mist, cloud. The
only relief | found was one day after I had been
there about three weeks, when there were some
heavy dark clouds overhead and q strong wind
blew. Fine day, this l said to a New York
~friend-for you know we call every day fine
here when it's not actually raining. It's u
plank OF a day! said he; but I'm in hopes We Il
have some decent weather tomorrow l
didn't know whether that was meant for one
81 your American jokes, so l Iawfed. to De on
the safe side.
But about going up the river. The first Sat
urday l was home l made Arrangements 10 20
up the river next day. .Arransement5' Yes, l
had TO arrange for an early breakfast. We
keep hours in London. you know. specially on
Sundays. The steamer was 10 leave West
minister pier at $50. DO you know what that
means in LonGoui Nine O'Clock il an ordinary
: reakfast hour on week days; but On Sundaysi
Nine-thirty, 10. 1880. The London maid Is
still dreaming Of her pet constable, or uhlSInan
1t 2 o'clock on sunday morning. IL was neCes-
sary for me to breakfast al 80; and | made
arrangements, a. | say.
q warm feeling about the breast for your cOUn-
try, Happy the !and where cook, use hard
Is always burning. With our soft coal it is
impossible TO keep a fire over night, AMI the
kitchen.ire must be newly mafe.every morning.
That is the cooks first work. unless there is
another servant 70 do IL for her. ] knew that
when / vent nd down I11 StAiF; ths snrs %ould be no
der you smile, knowing how my countrymen
rinse themselves w''th tea In the morning, But
in your country | learned that real coffee Is a
very different thing from the brown water
they serve under that name here. | learned in
il. Very well. but how was l TO make coffee
without fire, you know, oh. knew you would
dear fellow. dill you ever see a chatng dish in
Londonl, III warrant you. never, did. We
in this town~not Til We go abroad and learn
Il could not start up the grand and beauti-
urday and bought a small spirit lamp. No
Use to go into a restaurant for coffee, you
know, for coffee as you have it In every little
cake shop in New York can be found In only
l"O VT ALEN' 'uOlNf p4hNt5 VI 'tlalb ann IAA'y
are not open in the early morning. They laid
out some bread and cold meat for ME the night
before, and with coffee ~ my own making
did very well. | had plenty of time To reach
the pier, az l thought; some minutes to spare.
l stepped out at oxford street for a bus.
You have seen London in the early Sunday
morning, OF course. All. my dear old town.
what a stupid thing you are on Sunday! II Is
better in your city, where the trans and tho
overhead, railways run as usual. Most OF our
, London buses are Of a ~reliSious caste. some
lines do not pretend 10 run at all on sunday
) others run al long intervals. In my ten min
) utes' wait on the corner two buses passed me,
bur both in the wFoIS direction. In the sue
!, ceedlng i've minutes nothing pa ssed in either
, direction. | was growing nervous, don't YOU
(, know, for my time was getting shorter. and |
: hailed a passing hanson. IL was one that had
been out all night, / think, and the driver was
sleepy and cross. No matter. He soon took
me 10 Westminster Pier.
When saw a dozen people waiting on the
, float how could help thinking Of your tire.
/, menduus piers Ia New Iork.:vith their thous.
> sands u peoplei A man in uniform came mp
/. to me to sell tickets, and | thought he looked
tired u waiting for passengers who didn't come.
? \ few more arrived before $50, hut not many.