Rollo in Paris

ey to

with them, as if they, too, were going to Paris. Besides the driver, there was a conductor, whose place was upon the step of the

fare?" said Rol

spoke, however, in a very unconcerned tone, as if it w

g to do about it,

I do not understand his answer, I shall give him a large piece

d that he wou

occo carriage bag hanging upon her arm. The gentleman was quite loaded with shawls, and boxes, and umbrellas, and small bags, which he had upon his lap or at his feet. Besides this, the lady had a trunk, which, together with that of her husband, had been left

lle!" said he. "Look! See th

think it would have been better for us to ha

doubt that they are safe enough where they are. Look! There's a girl with wooden

e wooden shoes, and then began to look back along t

leading into the building. The passengers paid their fares, and got out. On entering the building, they found themselves in a spacious apartment, with a great variety of partitions, offices, enclosures, and railings, presenting themselves on every hand, the meaning of all which it was very difficult to understand. There were also signs marked first class, an

roups, or resting themselves by sitting upon their carpet bags. Others were looking about eagerly and anxiously, wondering what they were to do, or trying to find somebody w

they don't come with the trunks! The train i

them. I've no doubt they will be here in time. Come with me, and

e other passengers who were unused to travelling, seeing her look so anxious, and not understanding what she said, supposed that some accident

rain is going! What shall we do? W

d Charles; "and they would not u

oing on these roads now, that it must be that they have men here that speak English. There's

he railing, though very reluctantly, and asked the m

French, and looking as i

English?" aske

an, who, by the livery or uniform which he wore, seemed to be a porter belonging to th

k English, s

reat formality, and in a very foreign accent,

t our baggage does not

the porter, speakin

es again. "We put it upon a cart at the

the porter, with an

a state of greater alienation of heart from her than he had ever experienced before. And as this book may, perhaps, be read sometimes by girls as well as boys, I will here, for their benefit, add the remark, that there is no possible way by which a lady can more effectua

f it. Rollo did not know but that there was some real cause for solicitude about the baggage, especially as sever

ety about our trunks

," said Mr. Ge

llo. "Are you sure

us all the world over for their skill in systematizing and regulating all operations of this kind, so that they shall work in the most sure and perfect manner. It does not seem at all probable to me, therefore, that they can manage s

's a good reason; but you

trunks in the proper place to have them brought here. We could not have done otherwise, with propriety, for that was the regular mode provided for conveying the baggage;

that's a good reason

I am not anxious about the trunks coming in season

eorge!" exc

urs for the next train, which will give us just time to ramble about a little in this queer-looking town of Dieppe, and get som

in, did not seem to be at all disturbed by the sound, but began to take off the trunks, one by one, and convey them up into the station. Here they were placed upon a sort of counter, from whence they were taken off on the other side, and weighed in a curiously contrived pair of scales placed there for the purpose. If any trunk weighed over a certain number of pounds,-the amount which, according to the regulations of the road, each passenger was allowed to carry,-then the surplus

get a good seat for her; but Estelle chose to remain and make sure that her trunk was attended to. It happened that

ur seats i

y are we to g

"Go and show that man your ticket

ch?" sai

said Mr

led through a partition railing, as if he were there to guard the pas

re t

n a certain direction, and said something in French, speaking, however, in so rapid and volu

e," said Rollo. "He sa

Rollo's ticket, and then opened the door of a first-class car. The cars were made like those in England, in separate compartments, each compartment being like a large coach, with one front seat, and one back, facing each other. There were four places; that is, room for four passengers on each seat. O

the car, and Estelle, followed by her husband, got in. They passed between Mr. George and Rollo, and stood there for a moment, looking about for a good seat. A fr

t and see the country. Ask that gentleman if he would not be will

an undertone. "He wishes to see the country, probably, hims

car; and he would just as soon change as n

s. Mr. Charles, thus urged, approached the gentlema

sir, to move your seat, so as to

s paper, and looked at Mr. Charles an

r this s

n with his rea

gh in a tone too low, perhaps, for the

ats, sir," said Mr. George

s well," said Estelle,

saying, "Come, Roll

seats; but at length he succeeded in finding tw

thanked you for giving up your se

ht and hearing of her. I would not ride from here to Paris in the same car with such a

she makes her hu

yance. She is a perpetual torment. If that's the way that young wives treat

, in their picturesque dresses; the immense tracts of cultivated country, divided in green and brown patches, like the beds of a garden, but with no fences or enclosures of any kind to be seen; the great forests, with trees planted closely in rows, like the corn in an American cornfield; and the roadways which they occasionally

nt room. They found a great multitude of cakes and meats spread out upon an immense counter, and dishes of every kind, all totally unknown to them. They, of course, could not call for any thing; but, after taking a survey, they helped themselves to what they thought l

of France. In the course of the ride from Rouen to Paris, Mr. George and Rollo fell into quite a conversation, in which Rol

lost," said Rollo, "if I should attemp

s, in a strange city, without getting lost. All he has to do is to take care, at

you mean, exactly,

our hotel, and there you find a long, straight street. You walk along tha

said

tel. Now, suppose that, after going along in that street for half a mile, you should come to a great church, upon a corner, and should turn the

back to the church, and then t

your way home in your mind with you all the time, you can ramble a great deal

. You can always ask the way back; or, if worst comes to wo

"I suppose I coul

she was an American girl; and so I went to her, and asked her in French what she wanted to know-for I observed that she was speaking French. She said she wished to know what was the name of the hotel where most of the Americans lodged. I could not speak French very well myself, and so I could

her own hotel?

r. George. "I never kn

French, do you su

ns," replied Mr. George, "where ne

hey expected to see and to do on their arrival in Paris. At length, the indications that they were approaching the great capital began to multiply on every hand. The villages were more frequent. Villas, parks, and palaces came into

Uncle George,

res and architectural ornaments, and towering high into the air out of the midst of a perfect sea of houses, streets, avenues, trees, gardens, and palaces, which covered the whole country around. It st

ris on great public days of rejoicing. We will go out and see it some day. It is call

of the approach to a great station. Queer-looking signals, of mysterious meaning,-some red, some blue, some round, some square,-glided by, and men in strange

orm; but the coachmen remained quietly by them, awaiting calls from the passengers, instead of vociferously and clamorously offering their services, as is customary at the stations in America. Nor was there any pushing or crowding for trunks and baggage. In fact, the trunks were all to be examined before they could go into the city; for there are separate duties for the city of Paris, in addition to those for France. The baggage was, therefore, all taken from the baggage car, and arranged in an immense apartment, on counters, which extended all around

id Mr. George, in French, to the coachm

ARRI

-yes," said

they can to express their meaning, besides an infinity of gestures. Thus, when they wish

es-ye

ght a momentary glimpse of a monstrous column standing in the middle of an open square; and immediately afterward the carriage drove in under an archway, and came to a stand, in a small, open court, surrounded with lofty buildings. This was the hotel. There was a small room, which served as a porter's lodge,

apartment of three pieces, at the second, for a gentlema

manners, immediately said, "Very well," and rang a bell. A servant man came at t