BACK TO H

as a child enjoys a new Christmas toy. It seems impossible for him to keep his hands off of it. He wants to carry i

d by the same rule of human weakness the man will toss his proud bit of information into

joy in getting the British names of everything he saw. After forty-eight hours in London he was gifted with a new vocabulary, and he could not with

ferent places in his letter. It was just as if he had said, "Of course, I'll have to tell you what these things mean, because

r which he read t

ht a ticket) for London. My luggage (baggage) was put into the van (baggage car) and registered (checked) for London. I paid the porter a bob (a shilling, equal to 24 cents in your money), and then showed my ticket to the guard (conductor), who showed me into a comfortable first-class carriage (one of the small compartments in the passenger coach), where I settled back to read a London paper, for which I had paid tuppence (4

a half-crown (about 60 cents in your money), and went in to engage an apartment. I paid seven shillings (about $1.75) a day, this to include service (lights and attendance), which was put in at about 18 pence a day. The lift (elevator) on which I rode to my apartment was very slow. I found that I had a comfortable room, with a grate, in which I could have a fire of coals (coal). As I was somewhat seedy (untidy) from travel, I

hats (silk hats). There are many striking residential mansions (apartment houses) facing the park, and the district is one of the most exclusive up west (in the west end of London). Sunday evening is very dull, and I looked around the smoking-room of the hotel. Nearly every man in the room had a 'B and S' (brandy and soda) in front of him, although some of them preferred 'polly' (apollinaris) to the soda. A few of them drank fizz (champagne);

emarked to the author that "jolly good splash" was

er," h

g par

erstand, of course, that I'm

t of

y without learning what 'spoof' means? It means to chaff, to joke.

d you l

nd he told me to 'give over on the spoof.' But go ahead with the

e re

very good morning coat (cutaway) and waistcoat for three and ten (three pounds and ten shillings). I am going to order several suits before I take passage (sail) for home. Thus far I have bought nothing except a pot hat (a derby), for which I paid a half-guinea (ten shillings and sixpence). This noon I ate a snack (light luncheon) in the establishment of a licensed victualer (caterer), who is also a spirit merchant (liquor dealer). I saw a great many business men and clarks (clerks) eating their meat

much," said Mr. Peasley. Where di

other one to 'chivy' the crowd out of the custom house and get it on the train? I suppose that 'chivy' means to rush

ter con

west of the City (the original London confined within the boundaries of the ancient wall, but now comprising only a small part of the geographical ar

ntil I have got a new stock of

follows in

tra stalls (parquet chairs) at the Lyceum. You may gather from this letter that I am having a ripping (ve

XAND

P