The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-02

are not giving me straight deal. fot l have just come here to get some klhO | of experience to write up. Now, my son, it won't do. Jack London tnIeM mn his hands and admitted that tna' was his lay, ana alter lh"' "' very good friends.
 | HOf oourse we lay ourselves out tc heln Americans whenever we can, but | if may as well be understood riSh' now that this isn't a charitable instltu- l ton. t
 I've do a tremendous lot of busi- ness here for Americans in Ensland every day. We have to handle an lin- mense number of bills of lading In tnls office and our fees alone amount to De tween $65, 900 and $6s,0o0 worth or business a year.
 .~rhe invoices for all the American eoods which come, to this country, not only for London, but for many other ports. have to pass through this omce, and we have to keep large stan ot clerks here to prepare these docu- ments.
 'SThere is an immense amount or correspondence between here ana America over all sorts of mcrchahdlse' and we might be said to be, in way the head business offie for every Amer 1Can WHO Ileo e ieAi D v
 part of Europe.
 Lots of Work for Consulate.
 'vrhe vice Consul here, MT. Richard Westacott has a great deal of detail work under his charge; whereas l nave to sign in person all sorts of legal documents Though our office hours arc only from 10 to 4, 1t is not infrequent that we are kept down here much later trying to get rid of the volume or business which pours into the place
 'If any American who has a lawsuit in this country wishes documents lega- lized. he has to come here for it. and the head business office for every Amer ing going on in the office, though not necessarily of an improper kind.
 Tt is really surprising, though what neculiar notions Americans in England seem to have of the American Con sulate
 "Fashionably dressed women who wish to send their daughters or sons to English schools and colleges come here to ask me what is the best thing to do. Anxious parents who have chill dren studying in Paris or other Con tinentaI places are necessarily calling on me with a view to having these children taken under my charge. and I am supposed to hand out advice at any hour of the day or night.
 Looking Up Lost Relatives.
 ''The other day a woman sailed into this office in the most terrible state of excitement. She said her son had writ ten that he was coming over from New York on certain steamer and she went to the train to meet him, but he was not on the train--Or. at least she thought he was not-and she wanted me to communicate with Scotland Yard at once and get out half a dozen de- tectives to find what had become of him.
 "when I had gotten her sufficiently calm to listen to me at sll. l suggested that perhaps the boy had missed her at the platform and had gone direct ly down to her country place. A .tele. gram came to the office while we were discussing this possibility. Here it is. You can read 1t for yourself" The wire read: Ned has arrived safely, Come home to see him"
 'aThis Is the favorite place." oontin- ned the Consul General. for people to come to look up their lost relatives. It is not at all unusual for at least four different people to come here each dav to ask for the address of certain of their friends in town. There seems to be a prevailing opinion that every American who strikes London immedi- atelv comes here and tells us where he is going to put up for the night. and expects us. probably. to get out circu- lar informing his friends just where to find him.
 Americans come to England every year with just sufficient money to stay in town about two days before they go broke. Then they want us to cable home to their friends anl they never seem to think of the fact that cablA- grams cost % cents a word. The Con sulate is expected to defray this expense gladly and Is looked upon, more or less.