Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-13
Miss Helen Prescott GiUeS
Some CleDer London Sketches

Miss Helen Prescott, who is now abroad,
writes such clever and charming letters
to her home circle that extracts from
those letters have been begged for publ
cation, and here given.
Through them one sees London in
fresh, original way, and not through the
guide book
Miss Prescott writes:
Dear Mother: When 1 was on the water
with Americans did not feel half so far
from ''home and mother as since my ar
rival among the British. I am enjoying
everything immensely, but am wishing all
the time for some of my home folks to
enjoy ii with me.
Wen, I'll go back and tell you about my
arrival, which merely mentioned In my
steamer letter TO you.
The biggest show we had coming up
the channel on Thursday at noon was
the channel squadron, about 20 immense
warships maneuvering and target practic-
ing We We're in the midst OF them Tor
two hours, and it was grand sight Our
captain said he rarely had SUCH good
luck That night we ran near shore most
of the time and the lights Of summer re-
sorts were like a string of stars all along
the coast On Wednesday morning we
walked up in the Thames and landed at
Tilbury about 10 o'clock. From here we
were taken by rail. in first-class coaches,
to St Paul, a station.
I mention the fact that 1t was f1rst-class
so can say have Travelled that way lat
EXPENSE of Atlantic Transport company
Hereafter I'll travel second-class, as they
say none but peers. fools and Americans
travel in first-class coaches here"
out Of the SO passengers from our
steamer I was the first to find my baggage
and cab and drive on, with wave OF
the hand to the other poor women, who
were hampered with men, boxes and
trunks Ny boarding house was only
half a mile from the station, so 1 was
soon cleaning up for lunch, which did
full justice to about 1 o'clock
The fare here is delightful and clean as
a penny: nv room small, but comfort
able. After lunch Wednesday 1 went
about two blocks to the British museum
to send in a letter of introduction to
lady who was not in, so then concluoed
to take a ride and see the city from top
of a bus. 1 hailed the first one that came
along. climbed up to a seat near the drtv-
er and paid my fare to the lend OF the
line wherever that might be. did not
know whether I was going to land in
BflIingsgate or Buckingham palace, but 1
unlocked the Jaws of the driver with
penny and soon found was going down
Piccadilly, past Hyde park, Hensinston
palace and gardens, etc, to Hammer
smith.
At the latter place 1 got out and asked
a policeman for another route back to the
British museum. Under his direction
took an electric tram, went a mile or two
and transferred to another, which landed
me at a hole in the ground. where lift"
dropped me about so feet into the ''Tup-
penny Tube with accent on the tup).
which is a wonderfully perfect under
ground electric railway that literally Mes
through an immense steel tube that was
bored out like an artesian well lying on
its back
The cars are about the size of our su-
burban trains, only round on top and bot
tom and brilliantly lighted. In less than
ten minutes 1 was back where / had
started from an hour and a half before
So you see had not been in London
more than four hours when I had ridden
in four kinds of vehicles at about tup-
penny each (scusing the cab with my