The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-12-17
A VACATION IN EUROPE
Possibilities in the Way of
Cheap Travel Abroad.
DEPENDS ON TOUn.Sr|


1OW nnuCn money Is needed for n
trip abroad is question asked ire.
quently when people are thinhils OF
vacations. Like that other question
rs to how much Is enough TO marry
on, 1t admits of many answers.
steamship rates are suited 20 all
pockets. II Is possible to cross the
OCEAN first class on several lines for
$50, while one line sailing from Phil
adelNh!a offers accommodation for
even less. or course the second cab
ins and steerage rates are much low
or Many hardy voyagers anxious to
Sc" Europe go on the cheapest tick
cts. SO that they may have more
money with which to travel on the
otler sltc.
ps@os'ns Of the question of steam
ship jar,s, .hon the question narrows
10 tn" cost OF board and lodging,
! travelling AMI fees, the last item i'm
! poss BE 10 omit when travelling in
Clio uld World.
Gycrrthiug depends on the manner
I'm which jhc tourist lives and travels
! abroad. If instead of first class he
q jys tN'rl class railroad tickets,
I WI ch viii carry him over the same
| rods and IN practically the same
ears except that the upholstery and
the companonship are less desirable,
Ne viii save a great deal more than
three times the actual cost Of the
j"Irney, for the difference between
the first. second ana third class fares
Is abaurdly great
The student of human nature
would undoubtedly find much more
interesting material by travelling I'm
this manner than in better style, but
through Ireland and on some parts of
the Continent it would not be 50
pleasant rs in England, for cleanii-
ness of person is not one of the vir-
tues with the masses abroad.
The great economy of travelling in
Europe comes from the fact that the
American tourist feels that he has
no neighbors to criticise him or any
particular position to live up to. He
does things cheaply because they are
novel and interesting, and even at
fourpence tea In London there will
be a flower or two on the table and
a civil girl to wait on him, so one
does not feel the grind of cheapness
as in New York, where an eight cent
meal would mean eight cent food,
surroundings and manners generally.
Pension life in Paris is delightful
also. because of the same accented |
civility that proves a charming sur
prise to the American and because
of the remarkable cooking for which |
some of the pensions are famous, |
bringing persons to them as guests |
who would never patronize the big |
hotels, where everything of recent |
years is so like the luxurious New |
York establishments that the French |
atmosphere is entirely lost.
A woman traveller can go about |
Europe for year without buying |
any new gowns, which is no small |
economy. When she gets ready to |
come home she can buy one or two |
costumes with Paris tag If she |
wishes to have something to show for |
boots, hats, etc, are apt to look very |
smart, and the fact that she is tray- |
cling excuses her for the omnipres-
eLce of her shirtwaist and her ab- |
serce o: frills.
I,cTe are always those exclusive |
ones WHO say they prefer to stay at |
ho-?e rather than to travel cheaply, |
bat there are other more daring |
souls who will not let difficulties
land In the way and rather enjoy the
1nnsdtiOn of living In a fourth floor
back room with balcony that af-
i-"ls n broad view of Paris and the
C2iAe.
Merely to be alive in these unfa-
m4li9r and picturesque surroundings |
is sufficient to great many travel
.eY3 to whom creature comforts do
not count as the great good things of
lie. Omnibus rides are filled with
strange sights and experiences,
breakfasts and dinners are possible
In all sorts of odd and delightful
places and flowers can be bought of
tNe venders on the streets for very
little.
The Pleasant side Of life seems to
bc up.ermost in Paris and noise.
dirt, incivility and ugliness are hid
cen under a gliding OF beauty that,
however superficial it may be, makes
existence move along on well oiled
grooves.
And strangely enough. it is the
tourist travelling on small or moder-
ate means who comes in contact with
the real life and the real pleasure Of
the French capital. The great bou-
levards and the big hotels are merely
replicas of what people see at home
and prices in all the places frequent.
ed by the moneyed American are
rated to satisfy the most eXtravagant
taste.
Europe on $500 will be better
and far mere interesting Europe than
that which costs the traveller five
times as much, for he will be brought
in contact with the working popula.
tion of cities. where the philosophy