Hesperothen; Notes from the West, Vol. 1 (of 2): A Record of a Ramble in the United States and Canada in the Spring and Summer of 1881Russell, William Howard, Sir
History
Hesperothen; Notes from the West, Vol. 1 (of 2): A Record of a Ramble in the United States and Canada in the Spring and Summer of 1881
Russell, William Howard, Sir
United States -- Description and travel
The easy natural way in which we all "turn in" now at the end of the
day would make one suppose it was almost our normal state of life. In
fact it is a cruise on wheels, a yachting excursion on iron waves
rolling over the land, and this is becoming more lively as we approach
the Missouri. There is a cloudy lining to the brightness of the
prospect hereabouts. The rivers have been playing havoc, and we are
obliged to read in the papers of great mischief by flood and storm, of
cyclones and fires, damage to crops and property, and loss of life.
Other things we read too. "Right Royally Received! Handsomely
Entertained! They Express Admiration of the Wonderful Development and
Beautiful Scenery. They Still Think Their System of Railway Management
the Best. The Ducal Party Dine!" The climate must have a strange
effect on us all. The Duke is a veritable Proteus in dress and looks.
Sir H. Green is a man so various that he seems to be "Not one but all
mankind's epitome." Mr. Stephen glides steadily through the columns of
description with a fair share of commendation and uniformity. I have
suddenly become bald, Mr. Neale is a universal favourite, though there
is some tendency to resent his reluctance to admit the American system
is better than the L. & N. W. R. Mr. Bickersteth and the Auditor and
Mr. G. Crosfield are subjected to much modification of description.
Crockett has whole paragraphs of apocryphal matter all to himself, but
our conductors and drivers are uniformly mentioned in terms of
respectful admiration in the local journal.
One paper under the heading of "Cousin George, With Other
Distinguished Members of The Foreign Branch of Our Family," gives an
account of the party which is certainly minute enough, for the
writer, having described the Duke's appearance and dress, observes
that "on the little finger of his right hand was a seal ring worn
smooth;" but perhaps the description would have been more caustic had
not the Chronicler or Dispatcher been propitiated by the admission
"that the palace-car was exceedingly elegant, and that nothing like it
existed on any of the roads in England."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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