d, why, I never understood, for
there is practically no safety in our plan. The boxes are labelled
for their destination, and are thus safe so far; but if from any
cause you are not then by to claim them, any one can walk off with
any portion, and consequently the smallest delay on arrival is
dangerous. Strange that losses are not more frequent. _For_, or _on_
the Continent, it _is_ registered through, and you get a receipt for
the number of packages. So far good, but if you are obliged to stop
_en route_, you cannot obtain the luggage or any part of it. Only at
its destination can it be claimed by the production of the receipt.
The Continental plan is better than ours, but inferior to the
American. They use brass labels with numbers; one is attached to the
package, one given to the owner. Presenting this label, he can claim
the baggage it represents at any time _en route_. The said labels
are convenient enough, thin brass plates about half an inch square,
and can easily be carried in a purse. The corresponding label is
attached to the package in an excellent way. It is fastened to a
leather strap, some six inches long, and in this, at the opposite
end, is a slit; the strap is passed through the handle of portmanteau
or carpet-bag, or under the cord of any box, the label passed through
the said slit, and the strap drawn tight. It cannot possibly come
off. On the label attached is the destination besides the number. On
arrival there it is kept until claimed by the production of the
corresponding ticket. It is by far the best arrangement for luggage I
have ever seen.

Before arriving at any large town the train is boarded by what are
called express-men. If you deliver to one of these your labels he
gives you a receipt for them, and telling him where your baggage is
to be sent, you will receive it there, without fail, in a couple of
hours. There is no risk whatever in doing so, and the plan is very
convenient; but as regards their charges the said express-men are
most extortionate. They think nothing of fifty cents for each
article, however short the distance may be, but half that amount if
the things are few and large, one quarter if many and small, is
enough, and when they find you won't give more, they agree.

Still you are then not quite safe. Having been "done" once or twice
by express-men to a considerable amount, I, on one occasion, when
leaving Denver, the capital of Colorado, made a bargain with an
express-man