and was off on the way i had myself driven to the old said to be full of picturesque houses for a look i reached the in time to have a argument with my driver as to whether he was entitled to two marks or one � one being a fair reward � and then hurried into my train in a half hour we a at forty were at on the and in three quarters of an hour those lovely hills and which make the so picturesque had begun and they continued all the way to and below that to chapter a town after italy and the scenery of the seemed very mild and to me yet it was very beautiful the from to new york is far more imposing a score of american rivers such as the the new in west virginia the james above the and others would make the seem simple by comparison yet it has an individuality so distinct that it is i always marvel over this thing � personality nothing under the sun explains it so often you can say this is finer that is more imposing by comparison this is nothing but when you have said all this the thing with personality rises up and triumphs so it is with the like millions before me and millions yet to come i watched its slopes its castles its islands its pretty little german towns passing in review before the windows of this excellent train and decided that in its way nothing could be finer it had personality a snatch of old wall with trees in blossom a long thin side wheel steamer one fore and another aft william a castle tower with a flock of flying about it and hills laid out in ordered squares of vines gave it all the charm it needed when was reached i out ready to inspect may en at once another disappointment was not at but fifteen or eighteen miles a at forty away on a small branch road the trains of which ran just four times a day but i did not learn this until as usual i had done considerable according to my map appeared to be exactly at the of the and the which was here but when i asked a small boy dancing along a street where the was he informed me if you walk fast you will get there in half an hour when i reached the actual juncture of the and the however i found i was mistaken i was entertained at first by a fine view of the two rivers darkly walled by hills and a very massive and in a way impressive statue of emperor william i armed in the most and military manner and looking sternly down on the fast and waters of the two rivers about the base of this monument to catch was a young picture post card with a box of views of the and other cities for sale he was a very humble looking youth � a bit � who kept following me about until i bought some post cards where is i asked as i began to select a few pictures of things i had and had not seen for future reference he asked doubtfully oh that is a great way from here is up the river near no no i replied this matter was getting to be a sore point with me i have just come from i am looking for isn t it over there somewhere i pointed to the fields over the river he shook his head he said i don t think there is such a place good heavens i exclaimed what are you talking a town about here it is on the map what is that do you live here in he replied i live here very good then where is i have never heard of it he replied my god i i exclaimed to myself perhaps it was destroyed in the war maybe there is n t any you have lived here all your life i said turning to my and you have never heard of no yes it is up the river near don t tell me that again i said and walked off the of my father s was getting on my nerves finally i found a car line which ended at the river and a landing wharf and hailed the conductor and who were together for a moment where is i asked they said looking at me curiously no no m a y e n � not it s a small town around here somewhere i they repeated and then frowned oh god i i sighed i got out my map � see i said oh yes one of them replied brightly putting up a finger that is so there is a place called i it is out that way you must take the train how many miles i asked about fifteen it will take you about an hour and a half i went back to the station and found i must wait another two hours before my train left i had reached the point where i did n t care a whether i ever t� it tt t a at forty got to my father s town or not only a dogged determination not to be beaten kept me at it it was at while waiting for my train that i had my first real taste of the german army around a comer a full regiment suddenly came into view they past me and crossed a bridge over the their brass glittering their trousers were gray and their red and they marched with a slap slap slap of their feet that was positively ominous every man s body was as erect as a every man s gun was carried with almost loving grace over his x der they were all big men stolid and broad 