Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1879 — Italian Railway Enterprise. [ARTICLE]

Italian Railway Enterprise.

Feeling sure that I should never climb another mountain, I had brought from Cortina—as a trophy to hang under my Mosel oar—the alpenstock with which I struggled up Tofana—value, 22 cents. For convenience I would send it as freight to Havre. To allow for the slowness of the clerks we assigned an extra three-quarters of an hour for the business of getting it off our hands, besides a half hour for buying tickets and registering the baggage. In front of the station stands a little guard-house, with the deluding legend, “Expedizione.” “Might I send this stick to Havre?” “ Nicuro.” “How much will it cost?” We must ask. The expeditor goes with us to the freight clerk, who answers, “More than it is worth.” “Probably, but how much?” “How much does it weigh?” “I don’t know. Weigh it.” The expeditor hung it to the hook of a steelyard which another man held up. “One kilo” (two pounds;. Then, after sc calculation, “Two francs.” “Very well; I will stand 2 francs. No matter about the receipt. Here is the money. Mark it ‘ Paid,’ and send as soon as possible.” But they manage these things better in Italy. I must go back and see what “ Expedizione” really means. I must give the details very clearly, and the offieial- must make out the papers. I might go and get my tickets and my baggage through, and back. I came back, at hour and of all writinejaSß icTttjfrffl