KIDD’S OWN JOURNAL. 


179 

“ Why, zounds!” cried Manners, going to 
the window, “here is Lady Powderflask. 
Oh! we shall have the whole family here 
by-and-by.”’ 
In bounced her ladyship, who instantly 
enlivened the scene by a new burst of 
sympathy. Fragrant essences, soothing 
expressions on ali sides, and a great deal of 
whispering on one, were put in requisition to 
restore tranquillity; and in a short time, 
Mrs. Manners permitted herself to be led 
to her own room—in a state, however, of 
extreme “nervous agitation.” 
Manners was left alone. Now, to go out 
was impossible, it would have been barbarous 
to have done so. The day, as if to add to 
his gloom, set in dull and drizzly; and taking 
up the newspaper, he threw himself into his 
chair, and began with a melancholy interest, 
to read the “ Coroner’s Inquests,” and list 
of “ Suicides.” 
‘“‘ Ah, Manners!” cried Lord Sweepstakes, 
entering the room about an hour after the 
events above mentioned. ‘What! still in 
as dressing-gown! Why, we shall be 
ate. 
‘My dear fellow, I re-al-ly can-not ac- 
com-pa-ny you to-day. 
“Why not; what’s the matter?” 
“Oh, no-thing—but the fact is—you 
know—we are old friends ; you must pardon 
a little weakness, eh ?—but the fact is, 
thank God! THIS 1S THE LAST DAY OF OUR 
‘HONEY-MOON !’” 
Such are the every-day pictures of Fash- 
ionable Life. The actors marry, as a 
matter of course; and, as a matter of course, 
—repent at leisure. 
What a droll world is ours! 
TRAVELLING—AT HOME AND ABROAD. 
—-—— 
THERE ARE MANY ANOMALIES connected 
with the habits, usages, and customs of man- 
kind. The very thing which appears only 
rational, as well as natural for them to do, 
that, by a strange and unaccountable per- 
verseness, they studiously avoid; taking in- 
finite trouble to procure amusement and 
delight in foreign countries, when they might 
find it readily at home! But there are also 
other reasons. 
Our contemporary, the Times, has recently 
dwelt upon this, and exposed the fallacy; 
but he cannot hope, more than ourself, to 
alter an established custom. He asks— 
How is it that Englishmen—with the excep. 
tion of commercial travellers—see but little 
of their own country? and then adds—We 
are the most migratory people in Europe, 
and yet are not acquainted with the beauti- 
ful scenery and more interesting towns of 
the island in which our lot is cast! In the 



green uplands and sparkling streams of 
Devon—in the picturesque valleys of North 
and South Wales—in the lake scenery of the 
North of England and the west coast of Ire- 
land—and, above all, in the Scottish High- 
lands, there is surely enough to attract the 
tourist ; but, for some reason or another, he 
directs his wandering steps elsewhere ! 
No doubt, this in a certain degree depends 
upon that mysterious principle in human 
nature which drives sight-seers far away 
from their own homes, for the purpose of 
visiting sights which they would have 
passed over with indifference had they been 
situated at their own doors. How often, in 
the course of his life, does a Londoner visit 
Westminster Abbey, or St. Paul’s, except as 
escort to a country cousin? We fear the 
Parisians display the same apathy as to the 
attractions of Notre Dame, and that the 
Viennese do not throw away much time 
upon St. Stephen’s. This principle is no 
doubt operative to a certain extent ; but it is 
insufficient to account for the fact of the 
reluctance of English people to travel in 
their own country. 
There is surely enough in the historical 
traditions of the English soil, and in the 
absolute beauty of its surface, to attract us 
in youth or in old age to every corner of 
our islands. We are, in point of fact, de- 
terred from making the tour by the execra- 
ble character of our hotels, and the extor- 
tionate charges exacted for insufficient accom - 
modation. It is somewhat startling but true, 
that a tourist could spend a couple of months 
upou the double journey between the United 
States and England, visit every State of the 
Union, from the Falls of Niagara to New 
Orleans, and live in comfort during his whole 
trip, for a less sum of money than it would 
cost him to “aim at,” we do not say to 
“attain,” the same amount of comfort 
during a two months’ journey in the British 
Isles.— Ee. gr.— 
Let us imagine the English traveller 
during the period of his tour, to visit North 
and South Wales, the English Lakes, the 
Scottish Highlands, and to return to his 
starting-point, London, through York and 
the midland counties. He is in his own 
country—he has no trouble with language, 
currencies, or customs; but, although the 
fare for the steamer backwards and forwards 
between England and the States is £30 
either way, the whole Transatlantic trip will 
cost the tourist considerably less than if he 
had confined his wanderings to his own little 
island. As to the amount of comfort to be 
met with on either route, it would be idle to 
institute a comparison—so greatly~is the 
result in favor of the more distant trip! 
Here let us pause awhile, and consider, 
first, the character of hotel accommodation 



