The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-09-07
A "FOREIGN NIGHT"
Portland Wheel Club Listen to Tales
From Abroad.
At the Banquet In Honor of Mr.. f. A.
EIwelI and DR.. George e. Dow.

| At the Banqnet In Honor of Mr.. f. A.
EIwen and DR.. George e. Dow.
The members of the Portland Wheel
Club recently received the following an
nouncement: ga reception and banquet
will be rendered the two members of the
club, Dr. George E. Dow president, and
Frank A. Elwell vice president and
captain who have recently returned from
their European tour at the Preble House
Friday evening, Sept. 9th at O'Clock.
il has been the custom to welcome
home our veteran tourist Frank A. FL
we'll by gathering in his honor and of
course the occasion for doing so is two
fold this season, as we have also to extend
greetings to our president.
They will relate some of their expert
ences abroad.
This was the signal by the banquet
committee, S. B. Phillips, Charles +.
Aver and e. S. Pendexter.
| There gathered at the Preble House last
evening. in the small dining hail, the
following wheelmen and their friends
o. "a. Grimmer, Frank Il. Moody and
friend Mr.. Chase, H W. McCausland,
Edgar R. Dow, Frank M. Brown, G. H..
Simpnds. p. c. KiIborn, E. S. Pendex-
| ter, W. Dearborn, B. H. Farnsworth, C.M.
P. Steele, John NJ. Plummer, James F.
Marrett, F. A. Elwell, s. B. Phillips, DIR.
George E. Dow, Charles f. Aver, Edward
H. Elwell, Percy H. Richardson, E. E..
Tuttle, Arthur p. Howard, Mr.. Taylor
land Mr.. Tucker of the Hudson Wheel
Club of Hudson, Mass, Alfred Walk
GER, f. B. Dow. =. NJ. Bolles,
D. Hanson. FIN. Liscomb, F.E Davis,
Ralph l. Merrill, Major J. W. berry of
FGardiner, Francis L. Littlefield, Mr.. S. B.
Phillips and on his right and left were
| the guests of the evening, Mr.. Frank A.
Ehvell and DR.. George E. Dow.
| The tables were very prettily decorated
/ anGl an excellent menu was served. At
| ter the banquet Chairman Phillips called
the company to order and in few brief
Dren arks welcomed the guests of the eve
lining and announced that since SO much
was to be said of foreign countries. it
should be called az Foreign night
Since the guests of the evening had
b 9TH been chief consuls of the Maine Di-
vision, L. A. W., it was only fitting that
the present chief consul should extend
to them the greetings of the Maine L. A.
| W. Chief Consul James E. Marrett was
usual, with bright and happy speech.
He contributed to the foreign talk of
the evening stssinteresting story of
SPAIN and the Mediterranean and the in
yadine, Arabs, heard during a visit to. that
country.
DR.. George e. Dow, president of the
club, was introduced as one who was
likely to relapse into the French speech,
but who would be forgiven beforehand
Oh that score, provided he would trans
late the Gallo Interruptions. DIR. Dow
| responded by declaring that when he
| frst.reacheh France and heard French he
began to think that he had never heard
of that strange tongue before, certainly
had never spoken it. He had been warned
not to say too much about the attractions
of Paris, but must say that he never en-
joyed any place SO much in his life. In
regard to bicycling in Paris, it.was fact
| that one never sees there woman riding
| in skirts, and after seeing SO many wom-
EN- riding in bloomers he:should declare
that they we're in every way superior to
skirts, both in appearance as we'll as COM
fort. He spoke at some length of the GUS
toms of the people, and incidents Of the
tour and his discourse was very inter
estfng and much enjoyed.
In introducing Mr.. T. A. Elwell,
Chairman Phillips said that six years
ago in this city, thefirst European BIZ
cycle tour was planned. 1t seemed big
undertaking then to Mr.. Elwell, but it
proved successful and now. he is able to
organize such tours on demand and. while
managing them find plenty of time to
notices the incidents of the trip.
Mr. Elwell gave brief description Of
the visit of the party to the curious little
village of Vezelay, in the district of LIE
Morvan in France, situated on high
hill commanding a noble view and still
surrounded by remains of its embattled
walls. Vezelay has thrilling history.
During the 18th and 18th centuries it
was the home of the Benedictine monks,
| whose Abbey was so vast in extent that
Kings, with their suites. could be lodged
in them without discomfort to the in
mates All that remains of its former
glory is the wonderful Abbey church fine
ly situated on the top of the hill. Here
on March 81, 1145, new crusade was
inaugurated by ST. Bernard, under the
auspices of Louis VII, and again in
1880 this was the place of rendezvous
where Richard Occur de Lion, with his