The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-11


than by checks and tags and numbers. There is abso
lutely nothing to prevent any unscrupulous person
from selecting and carrying off on his cab trunk
bag if he wishes to do so. for the only idea
to be that porter will help you to find your boxes
and will put them cab for you. To steal strange
trunk might odd sort of theft but the luggage
identification plan would not last in America for
week nevertheless The chances for possible gain
too dazzling and punishments too light to fit such
crimes.
That superb honesty of purpose is of the things
that make travel so easy and comfortable, and
not so notceablv slow. 1t amazes an American to
learn that there is faster train in England than
Empire State Express; but such is the fact.
The locked compartment, which always such
dreadful arrangement to us, and which would be so
in America the Continent, is really danger
whatever here but rather the The strangers
YOU meet have no wish to rob murder YOU, but
rather will offer to share their uncheons with you
with the most gracious hospitality. The guards are
all roticeably polite and quiet and trunks
smashed and to the American traveller, used to
hustle noise and rush. it as though one
is moving through kind OF pleasant dream from
which he will presently awake to the CRIME, the roar
the unending WEAKNESS OF travel in one of Our
Pulmans.
For hunor in London must go among the lower
walks of lifc-the servants, the cabmen and the
bus drivers not forgetting the costers with their
queer ideas of fun The slavey to be found
In the class OF London lodgings. Her place has
been taken by trim and proper maid in snowwhite
apron cap and black gown, the model of what
maid should be She talks admirable English, and is
eXquistely civil. The smutty-faced slavey of other
days, with her pathos and her yearnings for high
life, has gone into comedy perhaps, for YOU
may search for her through London and YOU will not
find her.
The shop-woman is tremendously fine in her manner
and the shopman will bring the entire contents of his
place to your hotel at your beck, and even without
Il 1 Won dpTlt take he in c1aS
something wide and SO lnbrdgeabe that it strikes
as absurd. 1t makes YOU comfortable to
have your maid and your crnging. but YOU
can't help thinking that while it is such fun
be the boy in this it must be death to the frog
Civilty admirable trait. but it need not reach
the bone, and should leave the brain free.
Tailors, dressmakers and booksellers will give YOU
credit in London without asking your name
if you stop at good hotel They will cash Your
check with the manner OF being honored by the prvi-
iege although for all they know it be bad one
for they stop to inquire.
The London tradesman will do anything rather than
hurt your feelings and he wants to appear superior
sort of person. His small talk is always airy in the
extreme. and conveys impression OF his familiarity
with life in upper circles Even the chropodsts
know all about the opera and the Kings appearance
at Ascot or at Cowes While working away at his
unpoetic task the corn-doctor will luently
about the latest American actress in town the newest
fashion in automobiles, the Queens health and all
with studied ease that is admirable. Glass in Lon
don has its humors. as well as it tragedies.
There is an effort to appear quite nice" that is
almost painful to those of who are used to being
moved up and down and up in front by conductors,
browbeaten by janors, neglected by Our servants
and patronizcd by hotel walters.
At first it all strikes being rather sillv but
in reality the of politeness oils the wheels of
life, which proceed sanely, quietly and kindly
in the big city the Thames People do not seem to
distrust each other. and you don't realize how diff
ferent it all is until YOU get off your ship and are
held up by the Ncw-York customs officers amid the