The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1900-06-23
AT GAY PAREE.
From Special Staff Cores nondent ~ rur ~


py the customs officers into a little
waiting room, where on a long table
all hand baggage is opened and in
spected by the French officers. It is
needless to say that seldom anything
is Iound dutlable among the belong
lngs OF the travellers in this direction
as the authorities will have to be
strlctest on the return at the United
States ports to find the dutiable arti-
cles.
At this place the larger baggage is
not Inspected, but goes straight
through to Paris.
Arriving about o'clock in the after
noon at Calais, after wait of an hour.
seats are taken in an apartment for
seven on train bound for Paris. The
french cars are strange affairs with an
"Entree" at one end and "Sortie' at
the other; narrow aisle running
down one side of the car and the apart
ments on the other SIDE
Soon the signal is given, and after a
few tugs and a toy-like whistle from
the engine, the train is off and soon
the speed becomes faster and faster
and compares well with our modern
American speed. Indeed on one of the
French railroads speed of go miles
an hour has been attained by the ex-
press and mail trains. :.
Inc farm scenes in France are very
striking, and even though the land is
not as closely cultivated as in England
stlll 1t shows the industry of the
french farmer. The fine roads
throughout France are marvels and
stretch out before one for miles and
wind on, and on, over hill and valley
| under and over railroads, over beauti-
| ful streams, along the busy canals with
the ever present canal boat, winding
through the woods, out again into the
| fields, through a village, out again
| and on, and on, all roads leading
| toward Paris. Railroad crossings are
| so few they are not worth mentioning.
| ana there are consequently no acct
! dents at crossings. The roads either
go under or over the railroad tracks,
Soon in the distance is seen the tri-
color-blue, white and red, which sur
mounts the first of the Notifications
| that surround Paris before the wall is
reached. Then villages and farms
pass by in rapid succession, and soon
the strings of empty, side-tracked cars
tell that we are nearing the great city
of Paris.
The station is entered in about two
hours after leaving Calais Here at
! last at Paris is found a truly busy
scene-Americans tearing the French
language to pieces and French porters
pulling at your luggage, and here you
get your first good experience with the
'Pourboire'' system, for everyone who
almost looks at you expects and must
have his stip," if it is only two sous
G cents.) On leaving the station of all
the queer sights you have ever seen
you will witness here. The strange
voitures (carriages) and the hackmen.
with their patent leather 'plug hats
or derby hats some white and some
black-the great numbers of the cabs.
seemingly from 1 to $4,000, then there
| are those mighty three-horse omnibus
es with the upper deck. There is
| also that always glazing sign, Com
plet,' which means the bus is loaded.
and that more will not be accommo-
dated
After having worked your luggage
| through the customs officers and "tip-
ped" about five of them for different
attentions, you approach a cabby and
tlmidly tell him where you want to 20,
making your best effort from your
French self-taught." And such a
look of bevilderment comes over tho
face of the cabby as to make you think
you have asked for his life, or some
thing equally precious to him. Then
he gives you such stream of French
you think he is about ready to fight.
then it is your turn to become con-
fused, and wish you had left your
French self-taught" in America. Tn
a few moments it occurs to you to
bring forth your little slip with the
name OF your stopping place upon it,
and then you strike the combination
by handing it to the cabman, and YOU
then hear the correct pronunciation of
the name of your "rue." You are then
hurried to your place of abode and dis
mis- the cabman with the fare and his
extra pourboire. You are surprised
that he does not help you with your
luggage, but you do not wait long be-
fore there is porter on hand to take
your luggage upstairs, and, of course.
there is another fee due for this sery-
ice. You then meet the proprietor Of |
the pension, or hotel, and as best you
can you make arrangements and 20 to
your room feeling SO tired you could
go right to bed. You happen to think
you have had nothing to eat since
leaving London, probably about 81
o'clock in the morning. Well, you 20
to the restaurant and secure a carte
menu, and after a little struggle pick
out blfsteak aux pommes (beefsteak
and potatoes), vim (wine), du pain
(bread), ct petite beure land a little
butter. After having this, you find
your bill is two francs, or forty cents,
and, as usual, Garcon, the waiter, must
have his two or three sous tip After
this meal you take little walk, but do
not venture far, as it is very easyi
matter to become lost in Paris, and
while possibly able to ask your way,
cannot understand the directions when
they are given to you.
Tn my next I will tell more about
Paris.)
New mercies for new returns Of
praise; and then these new returns will
fetch in new mercies. If the end Of
one mercy were not the beginning of
another, we were undone1Henry.
Hold fast to Love. If men wound
your heart, let them NOT sour or en-
bitter it; let them not shut up or mar
row it: let them only expand it more
and more, and be always able to say,
with st. Paul: My heart is en-
larged. IF. w. Robertson. I