London at the End of the Century:A Book of Gossip
a Beckett, Arthur William
1900
HOW TO AVOID THE PEST.
It would be a mistake to regard all Bank Holiday makers as specimens of Mr. 's well-known type. As a rule the less stumpy lad of the creation is not to be found in excursions where the British artisan is much in evidence. He is not particularly fond of the railway, and unless a local is seldom seen at the sea-side. He appears to thrive in the London air, and is never so happy as when treading his native pavements. Occasionally he takes a trip on board some river steamboat to Margate, and more recently Boulogne-sur-Mer; but for choice he patronises or He is never so much at ease as when he is shouting or singing or doing the forest glades of Easterly Chingford. He may be found at the music halls and the exhibitions. He does not care much for the drama, and even at prefers the blandishments of the young lady at the bar to the vocal charms of the most fascinating of Of one thing Bank Holiday travellers may be tolerably certain. That nowadays the many excellent excursions organised by the various railway companies will be free from the intrusion of this personal pest. 'Arry has no friends nor relatives out of London. He is not troubled to go to the north, south, east, or west in search of kith and kin. So those who intend to travel to their country places need have no fear of molestation from The excursionists of to-day may in some instances be sufficiently homely folk, but they will be kindly and obliging, and in every sense the antithesis of 'Arry. So all the Bank Holiday maker has to do is to avoid the suburbs. To be extra particular, places whose names are initialled with an aspirate should be barred. As a matter of fact, towns commencing with an have a fascination for 'Arry. Although not loving the sea, he is still occasionally found at and | |