The age-herald., 1901-11-10
Batting Enroute

From the London Mail.
 recent rumor that an attempt was be- ing made to form a new syndicate which would organize and control railway cater ing in England on entirely fresh lines serves as a reminder that British rail- ways in this respect are in some ways much behind those of many foreign coun- tries.
 Apart from what has been done for third-class passengers by the institution of third-cass dining cars. the luncheon baskets provided for hort-distance tray elers in this country might be remodeled on German principles to their advantage, when the viands they contain are hot In the fatherland tin receptacle, very much like milk can on a small scale. Is used for the purpose of compartment re- pasts. Inside the tin are tiers of trays. upon each one of which the various dishes are placed. There is one for soup an other for hot meat, another for vege- tables, fourth for sweets and a fifth for something savory. while the little bottle of wine or lager beer is not lack ing, and the knives. forks, spoons and glasses necessary for the feast's out
 
 In Germany, too. a most excellent sys- tenn of railway refreshment rooms pre- Vails. There is a huge apartment. ar ranged upon one side with a bar. and having all over it small tables and seats. This apartment serves the purpose of a waiting room as well as a refreshment place. No one need eat or drink against his will, though if he desire to do so he will find his wants quickly and cour- teously attended to by competent wait CTS, and what Is so charming about the arrangement is the fact that before every train Is due to start a railway official enters who, while he walks slowly through the room announces in the most lusty tone the route of the train and the platform beside which it is to be found. At such stations as Oberhausen. which the night express from Hamburg to Flushing reaches about in the morn ing, one of the walters from the refresh ment room Is told off to meet the train and announce to the sleepy passengers that there Is a wait of three-quarters of an hour, and that breakfast is ready for those who require it.
 The Swedish time tables marx certain stations with a tiny knife and fork. a sign that there are refreshment rooms. The plans of arrangement and procedure differ absolutely in Swedish refreshment rooms from German and English ones. There are no walters. In the center of the apartment is a huge table upon which all the eatables are placed, also piles of plates, knives. and forks arranged in a symmetrical heap, and plates of bread. At one end the little dishes of appetizers, without which a Swede dislikes to begin a meal. are set out and at the other tea, coffee. milk and sgeet cakes as a rule. though sometimes these are placed on a side table apart Other side tables there are at which travellers sit. having first of all helped themselves at the center table. There is no confusion in this scheme and no clattering of tongues or irritated demands for the waiter Two or at most three young women officiate for the purpose of taking the lees ard one goes around now and then silently col lecting plates that have been used and cleaned up generally. Light bottled beer Is placed upon each smalt table.
 Trays of fruit and the large sand wches always prevalent abroad, a roll of bread split in two. buttered and lined with sausage, ham, pork, or some other kind of cold meat, are brought to the train doors at most stopping places on the continent, and where there are cor ridor carriages the newspaper boys pene- trate, especially in Sweden. from early morn to dewy eve. In Holland coups of boullion are hawked and prove very comforting to those who have just landed after a distressing channel pas sage from England.