The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-22
CosmouoIitan New York,

There was a time when people went
abroad Tor the sake Of new sensations
experiences, and acquisitions Of various
sorts. material and mental A traveller
who has been TO Europe several times
within the last ten years says that this
is no longer So
According TO this witness. there is
nothing which is made in France. Ger
many, Italy. or any other European
country which cannot be found in New
York. and bought generally. for less
than II costs to buy 1t in Europe and
bring it back and pay the duty. She
declares that the Dresden china. the
Fra Angelica angel, the Bavarian wood
carver's work. and the fashions Of
Paris are all brought over to New York
by keen-sighted importers, and that
there is no reason, except a sentimental
one, for buying them abroad
There Is probably considerable truth
IN this With the ease Of communica-
ton and transportation which has be
come general iE the last fifty years, it
is quite possible for shrewd importers
10 get hold of everything which is dis
A4EAtL KY EzleAl cAElEl l5lAC II European
countries. and even in less accessible
parts of the earth. and serve 1t up TO
their customers in good condition, for
less money than those customers would
have 10 pay the maker. Even IN the
matter of foreign life, New York Chi
cago, san Francisco, and to a less ex-
tent the other large cities Of America.
can furnish much TO the sightseer
There is scarcely a nation on earth
which is not represented in New York
by a foreign colony small or large. and
the inhabitants Of these colonies. while
they take on a veneer Of American Ian
gUage AMI custom, either for the Dur-
pose Of doing business. or because they
wish 10 be in the fashion, are quite like
" 10 keep. in their private life, the hab-
its Of their fOrefathers- Two or three
sarewd newspaper men-Norman Dun
can in New York, Chester Bailey Fer
maid in san Francisco, Peter Dunno in
Chicag o-have seized upon the literary
material furnished by these American
citizens Of foreign extraction. and made
much Of il: but for the most part the
American traveller keeps 10 his own
part Of the town and lets the foreign
colony alone. Yet, il he would, he
might discover in the foreign quarter
as much Of interest and value as if he
made the tour of the world FernaId's
Chinese are as Monaghan as anything
in Canton: Duncan's Syrians are thor
oughIy Oriental, and while Mr. Dooley
is an American by conviction, he is very
irish in character
However. there is still some reason
for making the European tour, TO a lov-
eI-headed observer. On the beaten
track OF travel, it is true, things are be
coming more and more Anglicized, and
less and less Of the distinctive life of
the people is to be seen. But in out Of
the wsy villages, little corners of the
world as yet uninvaded by foreigners,
one may stu discover the customs of
old time: and. what is more. the people
are more accessible, on the side Of their
human nature. than they are either in
the accustomed paths Of the tourist OF
IN the American foreign quarter. q"
where they are sometimes shy of the
American or Englishman because they
have had uuIucky experiences with him
The most valuable things produced in
Switzerland Bavaria, italy, and France
have. II IS true. been both copied OF IN
ported and the wise traveller will
therefore conf1He his personal Impor1a-
tio2s 10 little souvenirs associated with
his own experiences. Of small value in
themselves, but priceless because they
remind him of q delightful day spent IN
the Trossachs. or the Tyrol. OF the Via
Dc Gardi IL Florence de wiz also be