We Had Sleeping Berths In The Train - An Unknown Man Slept In
The One Over Mine, And I Had To Dress And Undress Behind The Curtains Of
My Own.
We breakfasted at Barnsville Wednesday morning, and that evening
stopped in pouring rain at _Milwaukie_; it is a finely situated
town, but the station had been lately burnt down, and we were very cold
and uncomfortable for two hours.
Poking about to amuse themselves, the
boys saw a large long deal box, directed Mrs. J. Stacey, and on a card
attached, "This is to certify Mr. J. Stacey did not die of any
infectious complaint." So he was waiting there to be sent on to her by
next train, and we hope she got him safely.
_Thursday, Two o'clock p.m._, we reached Chicago. Minnieappolis,
which we passed through, is likely to be a fine city. We went to the
Grand Pacific Hotel and were separated by long corridors and staircases,
and spent our time chiefly in trying to find one another amidst its vast
solitudes. Of course one never sees a chambermaid, or any one, and the
quantity of little dishes and fine sounding names which one is served
with at meals does not make up for the other discomforts.
_Friday, 3rd._ - John had a letter to the pork-killing man, Mr.
Armour, and he kindly sent two carriages for us, with an assistant, who
was to lionize us about. We drove first to the Bank and got some money,
and then through the best parts of the town, along the Michigan
Boulevards, through which we had glimpses of the Lake, but everything
here is sacrificed to the almighty _dollar_, and the railway
engines poke themselves in everywhere, down the best streets, and
destroying the prettiest landscapes, and making unearthly noises close
to your bedroom, or puffing their steam out under your nose as you walk.
Chicago looks a more bustling, and a newer and a more railroad-
dominated place than Glasgow, but like it in smoke and business aspect.
As to the Boulevards, the houses are most of them new, and some in
startling styles of architecture. Some in red, which are very good. One
was nearly finished of white marble, quite a palace, with more ground
than usual round it; but alas, for human hopes, the man who owns it and
_millions_ of dollars, has lately been pronounced _mad_, is in
the care of a wife whom he lately married, and who does not care for
him, and he will die before his marble palace is finished. There are no
_prettinesses_, flowers, &c., about these fine houses, perhaps
accounted for by the forty or fifty degrees below zero which they
sometimes enjoy at Chicago. After six miles driving we got to the
Piggery, &c., and the least said about that the better; it is certainly
wonderful, but disgusting - the most interesting parts were the enormous
yards containing _cattle_, all arranged comfortably, with hay and
water, &c., and the tin-making business for the preserved meats (the tin
all comes from England). Travelling for the last three or four weeks we
have seen little hills of tin boxes perpetually along the line, as the
people in the trains and stations, &c., seem to live almost entirely on
tinned goods. After this we had a hasty luncheon, and I decided to
accompany John and E - - here, and not wait for Dick who wanted to stay
longer. We could not find our maids to tell them, and I had to pack a
great deal myself, meaning to leave Gibson to follow with the rest, but
they turned up at last, and we had a great scrimmage to get off in the
"bus." John thought we might not have time to check our luggage, and so
began to seek for tickets to give the maids, but he could not understand
them so a kind American in the 'bus explained them, and after all we
were in time, thanks again to the said American, who _passed_ E - -
and me to the train, assuring the railway people that he had seen our
tickets, and he also got us into the sleeping car. When I was thanking
him warmly, I added, "You must be amused to see such distracted English
travellers?" "Well," he answered, "we are as bad in your country till we
are used to it." After a great deal of shaking and going a great pace
round many curves, which quite prevented us sleeping, we got _here_
(Washington) yesterday at six o'clock. A man met us who was sent by an
astronomer friend of John's, and brought us to this hotel, Wormley's. On
our way in a spic and span omnibus we felt _going down_ on one
side, and found a wheel had come of. We jumped out, and a crowd
collected, and finally we had to transfer our baggage and ourselves into
another omnibus, and got through some handsome wide streets, with trees
each side and good shops, to this hotel. Our first view of Washington
was a lovely one, coming in with the Potomac river in front, and the
fine Capitol, on a hill, backed by a glorious red sunset, which
reflected all in the river; it looked like an Italian scene. This is
said to be a "city of magnificent distances," being planned for future
greatness, and very like Paris in conception. We found acquaintances
here, and John went with, one to the Observatory. This morning we all
went to the American Episcopal Church, St. John's, rather "high," but
nothing really objectionable. This is the centenary of the consecration
of the first American Bishop, Dr. Siebury, Bishop of Connecticut, who,
after having implored _our_ Bishops in London to consecrate him,
went at last to Scotland, and "there in an upper room received Apostolic
orders from the Scotch Bishops, then called non-jurors." We were all
struck with the handsome features of both men and women in church. In
company with a great many others, we remained to Holy Communion, and I
don't think I ever enjoyed it more than among these brethren - strangers,
and separated by the wide Atlantic from our English Church, but joined
to us by "one Lord, one faith," &c. After luncheon John had a chat with
a French scientist, and Mr. Rutherford and his handsome son, and General
and Mrs. Strachy, and Professor Adams, the astronomer; many of these
people are here in conclave about _Greenwich_ time, &c. John and
E - - are now gone driving about with his friend.
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