The Youthful Wanderer - An Account of a Tour through England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany by George H. Heffner
page 80 of 217 (36%)
page 80 of 217 (36%)
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with a steamer for Calais, (pron. K[)a]l'[)i]), thence by rail to Paris,
reaching the latter place the next afternoon. The "through ticket" 3rd Class, from London to Paris, cost 21 shillings. Distance 262 miles. Soon after leaving London, I discovered that I was surrounded by the family of an English merchant, who, having retired from business, had taken his wife and daughters to make a trip to the Continent, with a view to see France and Germany. The mother expressed great delight on learning that I was an American, remarking that "Americans are not so _stiff_ in their intercourse." It was lot long before I felt that I was in a fair position to spend the _day and night en route from London to Paris_ pleasantly, even if we were to be confined to the cars and the boat with the exception of a few hours. We crossed the Strait of Dover at about midnight, though not _unawares_! As I had no fears of getting sea-sick upon the Strait of Dover, I took my seat on the deck in confidence of a pleasant voyage. Mrs. L. soon asked me whether I did not expect to get sick, stating that she was in great fear of it. I replied that I hoped our passage was too short for getting sick, as the waves were not apt to rise very high in such a narrow strait. But I was mistaken; the sick were soon moaning in every direction. My gay companions all disappeared except the old gentleman and his younger daughter. A large steamship of 3,000 tons burden would probably show more dignity, but the little steamer upon which we had taken passage, was as fiercely knocked about by the waves, and made fully as much ado about it, as the old "Manhattan" ever did in the middle of the Atlantic. The young lady was keeping close to her father and had already ceased to laugh, when I asked him the last time about their health. _He_ was well, but the young lady was also becoming dizzy from the rocking, and turning pale at the |
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