SIR JAMES FERGUSON AND MR. THOMAS RUSSELL IN AMERICA.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 236, 12 March 1875, Page 3

SIR JAMES FERGUSON AND MR. THOMAS RUSSELL IN AMERICA.

The San Francisco Chronicle of the 24th December, thus dismissed Sir James : " ' Governor' Russell, of New Zealand, and Mr Fergusson took their departure for the East yesterday." Though Sir James came here attended by a most gentlemanly valet (says the Auckland Herald's correspondent) he did not save his dignity from an American sell. 'Tis the custom here with the railway folks to tout for business, and every stranger who arrives in the city is at once buttonholed, and almost forced to buy tickets for a line he knows nothing of, or may not care to travel on. These touters are pretty smart fellows. One of them went after Sir James and talked him into the belief that he was a great railway magnate, who, having heard of the distinguished and illustrious visitor, took the earliest opportunity of calling upon him with a view of giving directions for his comfort. He assured Sir James every attention would he paid to him, that his British prejudices would not be touched upon the raw, that, in fact, the lion of England would be made so comfortable he would have no chance of alarming the country by an angry growl. As a mark of respect for Sir James, he had, with his own hands, brought the tickets necessary to his safe conduct across the continent. Sir James was delighted, the sugar-coated bait was swallowed, and the sharp runner pocketed the coin and commission that was lovely to behold. Fancy Sir James's rage when he discovered that he had been patronised by a sharp Yankee only one remove from a cabbie. Fancy, also, the mild and gentle protest which he would lodge with his gentlemanly valet. His Excellency is now in Washington, picking up scraps of sentimental lore, which may be useful when he becomes one of the Ministry.