210 AN OCTOBER ABROAD. 



the beech on this side of the Atlantic is a more fluent 

 and graceful tree than the American species, resem- 

 bling, in its branchings and general form, our elm, 

 though never developing such an immense green 

 dome as our elm when standing alone, and I saw no 

 European tree that does. The European elm is not 

 unlike our beech in form and outline. 



Going from London to Paris is, in some respects, 

 like getting out of the chimney on to the house-top 

 the latter city is, by contrast, so light and airy, 

 and so American in its roominess. I had come to 

 Paris for my dessert after my feast of London joints, 

 and I suspect I was a little dainty in that most dainty 

 of cities. In fact, I had become quite sated with 

 sight-seeing, and the prospect of having to go on and 

 " do " the rest of Europe after the usual manner 

 of tourists, and as my companions did, would have 

 been quite appalling. Said companions steered off 

 like a pack of fox hounds in full blast. The game 

 they were in quest of lead them a wild chase, up the 

 Rhine, off through Germany and Italy, taking a turn 

 back through Switzerland, giving them no rest and 

 apparently eluding them at last. I had felt obliged 

 to cut loose from them at the outset, my capacity to 

 digest kingdoms and empires at short notice being far 

 below that of the average of my countrymen. My 

 interest and delight had been too intense at the out- 

 set ; I had partaken too heartily of the first courses ; 

 and now, where other travelers begin to warm to the 

 subject, and to have the keenest relish, I began to 



