The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-08-11
European Letter.
From Tho Press.

European Letter.
From Tho Press.
COLOGNE July 27, 1898.
Five thousand miles from home in q
strange land, surrounded by strange
people. That is our situation tonight
! as L sit down to drop you short letter
concerning our wanderings up to date.
BY we, / mean Mr. ID. Il. Perry, of
West Bay City and myself. We left
New York, Thursday noon, July 18th,
Just four years to day from the date of
embarkation on my former trip. We
landed in Glasgow after u voyage of ten
and half days over the Atlantic, as
quiet and uneventful voyage as it is
often the good fortune of a ship to make.
| We had hardly any wind and no sea to
speak of. We were both well and hearty
the entire trip, the only meal missed be-
ing on Perry's account, not the "mal de
mer," certainly not, only morning nap
that lasted beyond breakfast hour it was
our bad fortune to be close neighbors to
drunken gang from Buffalo, who made
half of every night hideous and most of
the early morning as well, so maps were
in order whenever we could get one.
| never was more delighted to see
land and get on shore again than when
we landed Sunday morning in Glasgow.
OF course we went to church it being
Sunday, and being Presbyterians (while
we were in Scotand) we went to the
Cathedral and heard an "Auld Kirk" SER
vice. Four years ago, you may remem-
Der, | was simply carried away with
the Episcopal service at Chester. |
thought it the most beautiful service
had ever heard, but now the honors are
divided with the Presbyterian church of
Scotland. / even think that my staunch
Episcopalian friends, James Osburn and
Charles Williams, would admit that they
had been at church, instead of simply
meeting" if they had been with us.
We sang psalms and hymns and had an
anthem in which the congregation join
ed, and it was all inspiring. Talk of
congregational singing--well this is where
you get it. Perry and / both howled on
the hymns at the top of our voices and
yet pledge you my word that we could
neither of us hear the other. Oh, you
know these Scotchmen never do things
by halves, and when they worship God
in song there is no mincing matters, but
they sing with determination to be
heard if sound vibrations ever reach
heaven. Later / will try to tell you
more of this service when have more
time and am in the mood for it.
Since landing we have been literally
on the run. Went to Edinburg Sunday
evening, spent Monday there, took a
night train for London, spent the day
there, and sailed for Rotterdam and the
Hague Tuesday night, arriving early
Wednesday morning. Wednesday we
were busy in the Hague till afternoon,
then run over to Leiden for two hours
and out to Schevenengen in the evening
This morning we left the Hague early,
arrived here, Cologne, at p. m. and
have rambled over the city ever since.
This is doing Europe on the wing in the
typical American fashion; 1t has simply
been a race for the Rhein and Switzer-
land, where we expect to put in most OF
our time. From now on our journey
will be slow and more enjoyable. We
take our first tramp up the Rhein to-
morrow. We expect to ramble over old
castles, wander through little villages,
climb the beautiful and romantic hills,
doubly beautiful because of the wealth
of legend and story that gathers round
them. Then, too, we expect to fight
! hard battles with sharp inn keepers, pro-
test vigorously and angrily and be beat
en- and swindled in the end; that is the
common experience of all travellers. Nor
is that all we expect to be attacked and
run over by legions of fleas and half de.
youred and made miserable day and
night till we get used to it. All this we
expect to certainty, and yet we will
have glorious time and enjoy our
martyrdom as sincerely as did the
knights of old who used to inhabit the
| M otios xx,a fro mn over
aye Editor" should have heard me get
nv shoes tapped in German to-day. You'd
have nearly died of mirth as the "schoe-
macher' did of vexation, but there on the
window sill stands pair of Pingree q
Smiths COW hides, with sole on that
would astonish even Detroit's doughty
mayor. / think they are now equal to
any Alpine work they may be called up
on to do. Oh, 1 had quite converse
tion with him carried on to the musca
accompaniment of his hammer. / think
the pegs went home with little increas
ed vigor at the prospect ofgetting me off
Perry's turn will come next. Pm going
to creep up to the door and listen and
laugh and grow fat as he struggles with
, the cobbler.
We will be in Switzerland by the time
this reaches Owosso f; that is delightful
prospect, but the present has its charms
as we'll. To be here in front of this grea
gothic pile, the cathedral, to look out OF
our window and see it's wonderful spire,
stretching up into the blue sky, to sec
the moonlight as it plays fantastic tricks
, with its flying buttresses and rich cary
ings, bringing old saints to life AGAR
with its magic touch, as they stand il
inches and smile benediction down upor
the late wanderer through the deserted
Q square. And then to hear the bell wa,
. up aloft somewhere in that mystery o.
architecture, a veritable voice from heav
en-, so high it is, calling ont the hour OF
the silent night. To be here and see thi
: eighth wonder of the world and hear it.
! ! voice, is certainly joy enough for one day
nor,t unt, think GO p