Rollo in Paris | Page 2

is only about twenty-two miles. This narrow
passage is called the Straits of Dover. It would have been very
convenient for travellers that have to pass between London and Paris if
this strait had happened to lie in the line, or nearly in the line, between
these two cities; but it does not. It lies considerably to the eastward of it;
so that, to cross the channel at the narrowest part, requires that the
traveller should take quite a circuit round. To go by the shortest
distance, it is necessary to cross the channel at a place where Dieppe is
the harbor, on the French side, and New Haven on the English. There

are other places of crossing, some of which are attended with one
advantage, and others with another. In some, the harbors are not good,
and the passengers have to go off in small boats, at certain times of tide,
to get to the steamers. In others, the steamers leave only when the tide
serves, which may happen to come at a very inconvenient hour. In a
word, it is always quite a study with tourists, when they are ready to
leave London for Paris, to determine by which of the various lines it
will be best for their particular party, under the particular circumstances
in which they are placed, to go.
After ascertaining all the facts very carefully, and all the advantages
and disadvantages of each particular line, Mr. Holiday asked his wife
what she thought they had better do.
"The cheapest line is by the way of New Haven," said Mrs. Holiday.
"That's of no consequence, I think, now," said Mr. Holiday. "The
difference is not very great."
"For our whole party, it will make four or five pounds," said Mrs.
Holiday.
"Well," said Mr. Holiday, "I am travelling to recover my health, and
every thing must give way to that. If I can only get well, I can earn
money fast enough, when I go home, to replace what we expend. The
only question is, Which way will be the pleasantest and the most
comfortable?"
"Then," said Mrs. Holiday, "I think we had better go by the way of
Dover and Calais, where we have the shortest passage by sea."
"I think so too," said Mr. Holiday; "so that point is settled."
"Father," said Rollo, "I wish you would let Jennie and me go to Paris
by ourselves alone, some other way."
The reader who has perused the narrative of Rollo's voyage across the
Atlantic will remember that, through a very peculiar combination of

circumstances, he was left to make that voyage under his own charge,
without having any one to take care of him. He was so much pleased
with the result of that experiment, and was so proud of his success in
acting as Jennie's protector, that he was quite desirous of trying such an
experiment again.
"O, no!" said his father.
"Why, father, I got along well enough in coming over," replied Rollo.
"True," said his father; "and if any accident, or any imperious necessity,
should lead to your setting out for Paris without any escort, I have no
doubt that you would get through safely. But it is one thing for a boy to
be put into such a situation by some unforeseen and unexpected
contingency, and quite another thing for his father deliberately to form
such a plan for him."
Rollo looked a little disappointed, but he did not reply. In fact, he felt
that his father was right.
"But I'll tell you," added Mr. Holiday. "If your uncle George is willing
to go by some different route from ours, you may go with him."
"And Jennie?" inquired Rollo.
"Why! Jennie?" repeated Mr. Holiday, hesitating. "Let me think. Yes,
Jennie may go with you, if she pleases, if her mother is willing."
Jennie always called Mrs. Holiday her mother, although she was really
her aunt.
"Are you willing, mother," asked Rollo, very eagerly.
Mrs. Holiday was at a loss what to say. She was very desirous to please
Rollo, and at the same time she wished very much to have Jennie go
with her. However, she finally decided the question by saying that
Jennie might go with whichever party she pleased.
Rollo's uncle George had not been long in England. He had come out

from America some time after Rollo himself did, so that Rollo had not
travelled with him a great deal. Mr. George was quite young, though he
was a great deal older than Rollo--too old to be much of a companion
for his nephew. Rollo liked him very much, because he was always
kind to him; but there was no very great sympathy between them, for
Mr. George was never much interested in such things as would please a
boy.