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living in New York, had lost three boys, and fearing to lose Johnny, too, had sent him to travel abroad, under Dr. Ward's care. Mr. Van Rasseulger was a native of Germany, and thought there was no air so invigorating as that breathed in on German soil. He had great hopes of its curing John's delicacy; and Dr. Ward thought that a strange country and traveller's hardships would be excellent aids in restoring the boy's natural health and good-nature. Meanwhile, Eric was seeing Paris under Johnny's guidance. To be sure, he could not see much in a day; but he took a look at the war column in the _Place Vendome_, saw the _Palace of the Tuileries_, the _Jardin des Plantes_, and entertained his little cousin with an account of his visit to the King of Holland, and his submarine diving, both of which Johnny thought very wonderful. Eric was not much concerned at seeing so little of Paris at the time, for he knew that the doctor intended to spend a month there, after visiting Munich. He bought a guide-book while out with Johnny, and then they returned to their rooms in time to see the doctor start for Heidelberg. "Eric," said Johnny, when Dr. Ward had gone, "I must show you the American railway here." "Why?" said Eric; "I'm sure that is the last thing I came to Paris to see." "Now," said Johnny, importantly, "I suppose you think you know just what it is; but you're quite as mistaken as if you were a donkey without ears." "John!" said his father, reprovingly. "That was only a 'simile,' papa," answered Johnny, roguishly, as he led Eric out again. Sure enough, when they reached the railway, Eric found that his idea of it had been far from correct. "It is nothing at all but an omnibus running upon rails," he said: "I don't see why they call it American." "It isn't anything like as nice as our street cars--is it?" answered Johnny, with a flourish of national pride quite pardonable in so young an American. Just then the conductor, supposing the two boys wished to be passengers, saluted them politely, exclaiming, "_Complete, complete!_" and the omnibus rolled off along the rails. "What did he mean?" asked Eric, quite puzzled. "He said the coach was full," Johnny replied. "They are never allowed to carry more passengers than there are seats for." "That is still less and less like an American railway," said Eric, laughing, and thinking of the crowded cars and overstrained horses he had so often seen and piti
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