The Republican journal., 1902-02-20
IN KING EDWARDS DOMAIN.
Notes of Six Weeks Trip to England and
Scotland.

to two more of our company, who ex-
pected to remain abroad year. AL
ready our magic circle of twelve was
narrowed down to nine, and feeling of
''home" was in the air. Breakfast, orr
last meal but one in England, was soon
over, and we boarded vehicle which
looked to our American eyes very like
lively-hued hearse, and were soon at
the station. The hours run to Liver
pool was an interesting one, as we
passed through one of Englands great
est manufacturing districts. Manches-
ter, with its great canal and enormous
factories, was the hub of this wheel of
busy towns and cities. At the familiar
Liverpool station a Dominion Line
agent met us and supplied all our bag
gage with labels ON which Portland"
figured largely, in staring blue letters.
The explanation of this was that the
Dominion liner Commonwealth" was
sailing from Liverpool for Boston that
day, and it would be rather incon-
venient, to say the least, to have our
luggage taken to Boston in her capa-
cious hold, while we meekly followed to
Portland, trunkleSs and forlorn. The
busy Liverpool streets seemed like old
friends, and the two youngest led the
way TO the Compton Hotel without any
difficulty. Here we were recognized by
the porters and clerk, who, by the way,
our previous arrival. We disposed of
our extra wraps and bundles and vast
ed no time i'll starting out on a shop
ping expedition. The few remaining
Shillings in our fast thinning pocket
books must be disposed of, and it was a
task far from difficult. We visited the
fashionable district, where prices, as
well as family trees, were high. The
streets We're literally lined with shining
carriages driven by liveried coachmen
and stiff foOtmen, who stood at ''atten
ton before the carriage door while
my lady was making her purchases
We We're absorbed in the scene about
us, and thought of lunch just in time to
get to the hotel without mourning re-
pr0ach for hardness. Lunch over.
We spent the time before the sail
lng hour as our tastes directed-read-
ing writing, OF walking about and
taking a last look at the alluring
shop-Wind0Ws No one had any desire
to be left behind. however, and the
party gathered promptly at the appoint
ed time and started for the docks. A
handcart bearing our luggage accom-
panied us in true English fashion. As
we neared the landing stage We found
numbers of people going our way and
the crowd was so dense outside the
lines that the two pompous policemen
guarding them were obliged to clear
path for us before We could duck under
the ropes and look up at the sides of
the 10000 tonner commonwealth"
1t was a sight not soon to be forgotten,
the sailing Of that great black monster,
into whose yaWning NAV hundreds and
hundreds Of trunks and boxes We're
pouring, 4 little farther along a stream
of people was going abroad by the pas
senger gangWay, laden with flowers ard
fruits and bags and boxes. Stewards. in
line, were rushing about: one of the
mates was giving clear-voiced orders to
the crew working with the baggage,
the captain, calm and serene, paced the
bridge; While the unemployed crew and
steerage passengers crowded to the rail /
and shouted fareWells to their friends in !
the crowd of up-turned faces below. /
One poor creature, who evidently be- !
lleyed in whiskey as a preventive for
sea sickness, insisted on being support !
ed at the rail while he sang a very |
touching farewell song in a doubtful
key. Tie scene was an extremely in
tereStlng one, yet we were not sorry |
when the stream of returning Boston
ians began to thin out, the bugler gave
HIS musical Ndl uillS 1OI lIleIluS 10 20 /
ashore, the last score of trunks swung
over the side, the last goodbyes were
shouted, and slowly, majestcally, the
great ship turned and headed down !
stream, amid the cheers of onlookers
and crew. AS we looked at our own
sturdy little ship, anchored out in the
stream to give her larger sister ship
plenty of room, we had not the slightest
regret for the crowded monster whose
departure we had just witnessed. In
fact, we rather rejoiced at the thought
of the clear decks and unruffled calm
of stewards and stewardess that we
were SO sure of finding on the ship of |
our choice. The steerage and second |
class passengers were already on board, |
and steam tender bearing the feroci-
Gus name of Tiger soon steamed up to |
the landing stage and we boarded her,
severing our connection with king
Edwards Domain" and terra trma at |
one step. AS we came alongside the !
''Cambroman" the officers and stewards |
were grouped about the gangway, anx-
f,r, frIi OF