My Wonderful Year | Page 4

get stamped by the custom officer who

inspected my baggage when I first went through the customs. I wavered
for a moment between boarding the train and leaving the case, but since
the case was a gift, I made a frantic effort to retain it. This experience
drew heavily upon the tranquillity that I had stored up on shipboard. I
did not have time to regain my composure before I arrived at Dieppe
and was ushered aboard the cross channel steamer which took me to
New Haven, England. I could have become seasick on this crossing if I
had permitted myself to do so, but I refused to be defeated by the
English channel when I had mastered the Atlantic. Arriving at New
Haven there was only one more lap of the journey, the train ride to
London.
Notwithstanding the fact that England is our mother country, one
realizes immediately that the customs, habits, and points-of-view of the
people are different. The Englishman likes seclusion and this is noticed
on the trains in England. The passengers, six or eight in number, are
enclosed in compartments in double seats, facing one another with the
aisle or corridor on the outside of the compartment. There is no car
designated as a smoker, but the compartments are labeled "Smoking" or
"No Smoking." The ventilation of the compartment is left to the
discretion of the occupants, and before a change is made by an
occupant he consults all the other persons in the compartment. One
buys his railroad ticket for first, second, or third class. I learned that
since the World War second class has been almost completely
abolished, most persons purchasing tickets for third class. On the
English train there is no news-agent passing back and forth, no restless
passengers pacing up and down the aisle for water as there is no
drinking fountain. Neither is there a porter or conductor calling every
station in an unintelligible manner as each passenger is expected to
know where he is going and the time of his arrival; moreover he can
read the name of the station in large letters on the station platform
before the train stops. There are no separate restrooms for men and
women. The conductor is called the ticket inspector and one's ticket
may be called for in one of three ways. It may be called for and
collected as one boards the train, or when one arrives at his destination,
or while enroute. Only passengers are allowed to board the train and in
many places one must buy a ticket, usually costing five or ten cents in

order to go down to the train platform. One may reserve his seat on the
train by paying a shilling or quarter and thus be assigned to his car,
compartment, and seat. The dining car is not the diner, but the
restaurant car. The dining steward comes around and gets the orders for
the meal in advance, assigning you a seat for the first, second, or third
call as you may wish. Of course tea is served at four o'clock and it may
be taken in the restaurant car or in your compartment.
It was with a sigh of relief and with a tinge of disappointment that I
arrived at Victoria Station. London has no imposing union station, but
seven smaller stations located in the various boroughs of the city. At
some time during my stay I made a trip from all seven stations:
Victoria, Paddington, King's Cross, St. Pancras, Euston, Charing Cross,
and Waterloo. At Victoria I was again exposed to the routine of the
customs, but this was no ordeal as the luggage was placed
alphabetically on the station platform and it was only necessary to take
a custom officer to your initial and help him ferret out your luggage.
With trembling hands I unlocked my trunk and bags and watched the
officer inspect my belongings. I did not have to pay any tax. At last I
was ready to seek College Hall, my home during my year in London.
I made the mistake of calling for a red cap, but I learned it was a porter
that I wished, but these porters have not the art of carrying several
pieces of luggage at once. There is not the rush of eager cab drivers at
the station as there is only the one government licensed taxicab
company, and the drivers are compelled to take their turns on the stand.
The cabs are on the limousine type, only four persons can be
accommodated, two on the back seat and two on the small seats facing
the back seat passengers. The cabs are built rather high. To my great
surprise the taxicab carried my hand-luggage, trunk, and all. The trunk
is either placed on the top