Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-09-26
THREE MONTHS IN EUROPE,
Mr.. and Nrs. Zahner's Pleasant
Trip Abroad.

months European trip, looking well
and happy, after most delightful
journey to other lands. They have been
kept busy receiving the calls Of
friends ever since their arrival but
Mr.. Zahner found time this morning
at his Office to chat pleasantly a few
minutes with the REFLECTOR con-
cerning their experiences.
ave are exceedingly glad to get
back" he said, "but at the same
time thoroughly enjoyed the trip. !
would not have missed it for three
times the cost. One cannot ap-
preciate America until he has seen
foreign nations and the manner Of
living there. am more than ever
satisfied that this is the best country
on earth, the most prosperous and
the happiest. Our itinerary was
carried out to the letter, without an
omission or delay. We were with a
party of l6, personally conducted by
Edmond Gastineau, Of the De-
Potter tour company. Everything was
done admirably, and extensive as the
trip was, we missed nothing that was
promised,
"Our itinerary was from Liverpool
to Chester, London, North Sea, Ant
werp, Brussels, Cologne, the Rhine,
Frankfort, Berlin, Dresden, Prague,
Vienna, Venice, Florence, Naples,
Pompeii, Capri, Rome, Pisa, Genoa,
Milan, Baveno, st. Gothard, Lucerne,
lnterlaken, Vevey, Lake Geneva,
Paris one week, London and home.
"Perhaps the most interesting Of
all the sightseeing to me was that in
Switzerland, London and Paris.
Going again, | would study those
three longest. The distances in
Europe are much longer than we are
apt to consider them but there was
no unpleasant feature in the trip.
We spent the Fourth Of July at Ant
werp and were given surprise in an
American banquet at the Grand
Hotel. The dining room was draped
in United States flags and fine
band played "America," "Yankee
Doodle and kindred airs, II was
interesting to see the whole company,
although we had left New York only
two weeks before, rise and cheer as
they never cheered at home. We
knew then how dear our native land
was to us.
"At Rigi we had a delightful ex-
perience. We spent the night on the
mountain at q hotel and saw the sun.
Set and sunrise, 1t Is one Of Eu-
ropes famous sights and we were
fortunate in having perfectly clear
skies. 1t was cold up there though
and we were glad to get down. The
trip to the island Of Capri was delight
full, the Rhine was glorious; Rome
and Naples were a revelation-and
indeed every hour presented a new
and charming experience.
1--WE saw Paris thoroughly, by
night and by day, but it would take
a volume to tell about it. We went
out to the field Of Waterloo and Sc
cured many souvenirs everywhere.
"The European people do not look
with much favor on this nation as an
investment field. They have been
defrauded by our schemes and are
suspicious Of our currency. Every
where they talk Of it and the capital
lists are as familiar with conditions
as we are ourselves. They think we
are drifting toward silver basis and
are afraid Of it. United States gold
certificates are at par all over Europe
hut silver certificates, which here we
receive on a parity with gold, will
not be taken at any price. English
money is considered the best and is at
a premium anywhere in Europe.
We had no difficulty in changing
money but were careful to obtain on
entering country only so much OF
that nations coins or bills as we
used, 1t will be difficult to secure
European capital again for invest
ment here until our currency ques-
ton is permanently settled and the
keen remembrance Of boom time
losses is somewhat dimmed. But
no matter what our currency is we
are far ahead Of those nations. In
Antwerp we saw women and dogs
hitohed together hauling carts, and
similar sights were common in nearly
every nation, showing a low level Of
life for the common people, and the
United States seems immeasurably
superior in every way. One needs to