The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-09-06
THE INSULAR BRETON.


  The Refrigerating Effect of His Man.
 her Upon an American-Difficulties of
 Conversation in England.
 Yes" observed the American as he settled himself in a corner of the car riage and prepared for long journey, you Brltishers are a wonderful people; but as for sociability, you might just as we'll all have been born at the North Pole. It's fact, For stranger trav- cling alone it's pretty much like moving in a refrigerator. And the curious part of the whole business is that abroad you are worse. Why, came through from San Francisco to New York with two of your cOuntrymen. All the rest of the passengers were American, but i these worthy representatives of your great race never spoke to each other until they reached their destination! Then it was apparently only because they were making for the same cab. That broke the ice, They made com promise, solemnly got into the vehicle together, to be dropped at their respec- tive hotels.
 Maybe they were both going to the same one. cannot say; but I guess if two of my countrymen, or any other two men of thessame nationality, were placed in similaf circumstances. they would have known all about each other in less than half an hour after the train started. As compatriots, they would have extended to each other the glad hand of welcome By the end of the joupney they would probably have be- come life friends, and even if they nev- CT saw each other again would at least have been happier and wiser for the ac- quaintance.
 With slight notifications 1t is the same on this side of the Herring Pond. You get into a compartment, arrange 1 as many cases as you can on the lug gage racks overhead, and grunt an apology like curse at whenever you disturb. If you don't. take cover be- hind the sheets of a bulgy newspaper, you stare fixedly out of the window or 1 at point above your opposite neigh bor's head, and vary the monotony by yawning or going to sleep
 What strikes me as being remarka- ble is that, as general rule, believe you have, just as much interest in other people as we have. But you lack the moral courage to begin conversation. And you never know what you are missing! Why, sir, I've travelled great deal, both in your country and mine, and I've learned more from those I have met casually on the way than ever I got from books. Of course, there are people who do not want to talk to strangers. They seem to look upon everybody as being professor of the 'three-card trick and as only seek ing an opening to take them in.' Then there are others who have, or imagine they have, some social standing. They generally, I believe, have not; but that is neither here nor there. They make kind of god of their own importance, and are, afraid that in some way 1t might prove derogatory to know the man next to them. At any rate, they want to be certain first who he is, what he is, and whether his teeth are really his very own. This sort or travellers are not worth talkwing to- because they are too little.
 "As 1 have observed, however the great majority of you are big hearted and long headed enough; but ylou lack enterprise. With us it would be re- garded as peculiar if chance compan- ions surrounded themselves with kind of cast-iron silence. We are most of us business people and if there were whole car full of sharpers-why, it would only make the journey so much the more entertaining! We are not en- cumbered with any of your oId-fash- toned ideas about society and 'superi- orlty;' and we don't want them. What the American recognizes is that no man is so clever that he cannot be taught something he does not know by whom ever he happens to rub shoulders with. And we want to learn. Most of your people either do not want to add to their knowledge or are afraid to try lest they are thought uncommon. And to be uncommon would be horrible! If it is caution, then as a people you are too cautious. What occurs in a railway car, with variations, occurs also in trade. You are too ice-bound in enter prise. You need thawing; and the first sign of that being effectually accom- plished will be shown as much in your trains as your trade. .'-London Tele- graph.
 GA g ITO RHA.