The Typical English Tourist.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 174, 16 October 1886, Page 6 (Supplement)

The Typical English Tourist.

On board the steamer at 1 Dover, on the day of our departure for Oetend, Irving discovered the typical English tourist, " I have never seen him bof,ore," he said, •* in everyday life ; he is common enough in French caricature, but here he ia in reality." And it was so j two or three and thirty, with lips apart, showing abnormally 'long teeth, field«glass and satchel, strapped over his shoulder?, light overcort,*lieht trousers, light hat, and all new. In one hand he carried a Continental Bradshaw ; in the other he held a biscuit, which ho nibbled oc- j casionally. Irving watched him, in his j furtive way, enjoying the dramatisation of the man and his surroundinga, imagining his history, jotting down his idiosyncrasies. He photographed him in hia mind, gave him now life on an imaginary stage, or annexed bits of him for use in some already exiating role. It would have been quite as amusing for any one who knew Irving to have eeen him in the full enjoyment of his i holiday etudy as it was for him to dzamatise the Cookney traveller. Possibly with fchia wayside illustration of an actor making j holiday, the reader may be better able to understand the method of an impersonator who is jußt as much at home in. illustrating the cruelty of Louis as in realising the tenderness of Dr. Primrose. " Toole would have spoken to him," said Irving, as we left the tourist to struggle with a cigar^ " and we should have had an amusing scene. Toole can do that kind of thing in the most innocent way, and without offence ; and a lot of curious information is to be obtained by entering into conversation with strangers. I remem- \ ber a year or two since Toole and I were at Stratford-on-Avon together. It was a calm summer day, the dinner hour, of the local working-man, On the putsk^ta of the town we came upon a grou p of two or threelabourers who had eaten their midrday meal, and were smoking their, pipes, ,r<'ls this the way into Stratford V Toole asked, f Yes,' said one of them,: who, seemed to be the leader of the rest, (Do ypu 2ive; ftt/Strat- (- ford?' •Yeß,' waB the reply t given, in a lazy fashion, and .without even , 9 glance at, Toole. ,* Oh,, i then, <you - ■ know all about it, and can tell ub what we want to learn.' „The f^pw, "smoked on withindlfferenqe, as did bfc companions. " Shakespeare liyed here, eh ?" •«, Who ?" " Shakespeare ?'*, "Yea.!', ".Did you*kriow r hi-a?" •«No.";, ".Is he.still living ?<^ ."~Dunno ; 'think he's dead.'Uurning to his mates, < who ntidded their approval of his anewera. 4l Then % vended to aiyy, *•$ es^hVs.defid." V His -houie irtdbe'seenieh W ,?• Yes." j. •MTuiy' people bp*mtj;q 'no %W />^Yeij"/i th(etim© < with 1 a' ccinteniptudue' cuil of His lip *nd,an extra pull *t his pipe. ** Have you erer aeon

it?" "I live here." "I mean ever, been inside ?'-'.] V Not 1." ,, t%^o t you know better, donjt, you ?' ? ." Should , thin,k I ,d.0." H|* mateß smiled, as much ai to gay. they hoped they;were notfools either,,, "Only fools wast© Jheir, time in that way?' f Strangers, maybe.' 'Thank you,' said Toole, tailing out bis purse:/ you won't objeot to me standing you a drink ?' , *No,' 'Here .you are then/ A horny hand was held. out, j$ passed the ooin on to the next, man -with the order, 'Get half, a gallon," As the messenger stumped across the fields towards the town, his oomrade became a trifle more communicative. , -i,, 1 This . Mister Bhakeepoare was a famous , man, eh X ' Suppose he was." • * A scholar f ' Dunno.' « What was he he famous ipr?' * Writin ',' was the reply, and it , was given with a sudden gleam of intelligence in the native's eyes. * Oh, writing,' I said, joining in tbe conversation ; ' did he write for the newspapers? 1 'No.' l For the magazines ?' • No! ' • ( • The Family Herald ?'" 'suggested Toole. ' No,' was again the' laconic but emphatic reply; but this time the native paused, and looking round aß'if he had suddenly remembered all about it, said, ' / think he ivritfor Bible 1 " — " Art Journal for July." ;