Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-08
A Maine Girl in Europe--4I

There WAS a general rush for stand
ing room IN the promenade deck, as
the steamship Winifrcdan slowly made
her way up the river Mcrscy, among
the many boats, large and small,
toward Liverpool dock. her desired
haven.
The great floating landing stage, as
the noted pier is called, the varied
business interests represented, the
green terraces and the general tidy APP
pcarance of this. the most important
shipping center in the world, all conf
bincd to make the place intensely III
tcrcstillg.
We were Il little aWcd as four stall
wart officials, i'll uniforms brlStllng
with gilt. marched up the Gangpiank
in an impressive manner, each bearing
a large red book, held in the right hand
like a breastplatc. Visions of abScOnd-
ing forgcrS or other fuSitives from JUS
ticc III disguise. flashed across my
brain, and the thought, "Now there
will be an exciting scene" 1t was 4
trin1 disappointing to find they were
only the representatives Of the various
railroad lines. looking for business.
The first people who wished to inter-
,iuls. who kept the impatient passen
gers waiting some time before burrow-
in" inio the portmantcaus and steamer
trunks. After having stood on the lid
some time to make the lock meet prop
cr,y, il is a triflc inconsdcratc to have
| to 60 through the same performance 50
soon again. As VIC drove up the streets
of Liverpool, the first thing English to
Judy show in the square, and while
gazing at the funny little bobbing fig
urcS. tWo-story tram car, its sides
bristlng with staring advertisements,
appeared around the corner. To our
Just arrived eyes this was interest
ing having the appearance of a sight
seeing automobile or n circus parade.
OF course. after the manner of the
small boy at the fair. who must i'm
mediatcly try the merry go-rounds. it
was not long before a number of us
had climbed the funny spiral stairs and
were gaily spinning around Liverpool
on the upper deck" of Il train, at the
rate of one dollars sized penny ride
Americans are nothing if not progress
! sivc. The question of money is some
what puZZling to Il "tcndcrfoot" from
across the water. on the steamer We
were duly instructed in the mysteries
Of English and French money. We
| learned to say shilling, instead of
| quarter. to recognize half sovereign
when we met one, ana to carry around
4 load of big copper pennies. From
the somewhat slang expression of one
| of our number, who sail somebody
looked like "a frame and a half" we
| remembered thirty cent :" and so
thought after all our training We could
| disguise out identity. But when we
| entered a store, or rather. shop. and
| timidly inquired the price of a pocket
| book large enough to accommodate
| the British coin and were told rapidly
| four and twelve, or three and six, we
stared vaguely at the fresh faced girl
| behind the counter, and then went over
| to a secluded place to think it over.
| II comes tn one after Il little but for Il
| while il looks strange to see articles
| in the windows marked II, with Il
Slanting line, ANA l., like Il fraction.
| till it finally pcrcolatcS through your
| brain that the line means shilling and
| the remainder. pence. One day we
saw advertised in Il window, Vim, the
great Roosevelt game. Just which
| phase of our honorcd residents
| StrcnuoSity this cXcmplities. we arc
| unable to state