PEOPLE ONE MEETS WITH AT A TOURIST RESORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 73

PEOPLE ONE MEETS WITH AT A TOURIST RESORT.

By Anxjelesea.

Dear Dot, — I shall try to give you a d-e-ecription of some of the people T have met and seen at different tourist resorts. I am sitting at a small family table in a corner of the large dining room when the gong goes. In comes sweeping tlie liaughty dowager, with rings on her fingers and bells m her toes. "Beside her is her little husband, who put 3me in mind of a poodle trailing along after its mistress. Then comes the dashing young lady who is out for a few weeks' holiday. As soon as she enters the room she makes a decided -pose (which she must have practised for hours before tlia looking-glas3\ and waits for the waiter to show her to a table. She aeats herself, gazes round the room in a superior kind of way, and talks loudly on nothing in particular. Next there comes the homely little woman, who is quite a novice at tine game., and would much rather be &t "tome. She is accompanying her genial, jovial lusljand,- who is quite used to this sort of "thing; she is not: She conies in with a ecared face, 'and looks helplessly round at the straoge surroundings, and would like to be away .from it all. Eere comes the giddy schoolmistress, who is spending the vacation at this resort. She recognises that she is not so yonng -a<s site -nsed to be, acd that if alia doesn't catch a "Johnny" soon she will be left "on the shelf," and she is doing her "best to hook someone. At other times of the day she may be seen flying round, fishing, riding, etc., with some cavalier who has lovely eyes and a charming moustache, but it is aonbtful if ever he "takes her on." Perhaps I am hard on the girl, but people of this port •al-vays amuss me. JSText come "M.- a- r "' TVX' =

Globe-trotter, regular tourists, who are used to knocking about. Mrs Globe-trotter wears a short walking costume, and Mr wears a Norfolk suit, with knickers, which makes him look like the aide of a house. They sit down to their dinner, and take notice of no one. The Canaries— you've not heard of them. They were two little Americans, as spick ana span as canaries, so we gave them this nickname. To my knowledge they never asked one question about the scenery or history of the country; they kepi themselves quite aloof, and what amused me was that they scarcely ever spoke to each other. W e learned that they had travelled in every country in the world. We met them at R.; we had come from P., and they were on their way there. Dad was telling them about the awful road they had to go over, and the thought of seeing the dainty pair, who were sitting in. the coach like two dolls, walking ankle deep in the mud a few miles farther on made us laugh. The pity was we couldn't be there to see them. The driver told us that they had been sitting beside him for four hours, and had not spoken one word to him. What is the use of travelling like that? Excepting what they read in the guide-book, they learn nothing of the country. When I am travelling I get up beside the driver, and ask him questions till he thinks my tongue is hung by the middle; but I get all the information I want-.

W-ell, the next clay -we went back to the* town, and the "Canaries" were in the same boat. They tucked themselves up in a tug, fixed, their pince-nez, and settled down with a bored expression on their faces. Poor things, they were to be pitied. Another type of globe-trotter to be seen at these tourist resorts is the two elderly ladies (they -always go in pairs), with sharp, inquisitive faces, who know everybody's business. They want no men folk dangling after them; they are quite capabie of looking after themselves. They are a trial and a trouble to the hotelkeeper. Everything of the very best must be given to them: the landlord, his wife, and all the servants are expected to wait on them hand, foot, and finger all day long. They monopolise the sitting rooms, and wherever you go, they seem to be in your road." Well, by this time I have finished my dinner, so I shall adjourn to other parts.