The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-06-12

League of Press Clubs. Miss Sheldon
a paper on women writer's in the United
States while | sought to disabuse their
minds of the wrong impress sion that
they had unaccountably gotten Of our
American Press Clubs. The official
proceedings of the Congress have since
been sent me, and | am pleased to say
that of the four published papers, con-
tanned therein. three of them are from
the delegates from the United States
In the evening the local committee en-
tcrtainnd thu Congressists at banquet
in the concert hall of the Grand Thea
tire. | laugh to myself when | think
of preparing my toilet for this banquet.
Bordeaux is a nice town, but it has not
vet been heseiged by Yankee hustle.
Electric lights are rare luNurics in the
French provincial towns. My hotel
did not boast this luxury, but instead
| was given a candle, and when found
that its rays were very feeble asked
for second. Pictu re to yourselfa man
in a full dress suit, Il tight collar, stand
ing before an eighteen by twelve glass
trying to balance two candles on the
top of his head while tying white era
vat, and you have me as | stood pre-
pairing for that festive occasion.
The last day of the Congress was oc-
cupied by an excursion to the Medoc
district and to Soulac. The company
of the Medoc made special railroad ar
rangements to convey the delegates
from Bordeaux at 8 in the morning.
Our first stop was at Nerdun, where
we took tram cars through the pine
forests to the Occanside, and after 4
look at the mad rush of waters, made
bv the confluence of the Gironde river
bv rail to SouIac The most interesting
feature of the town is the Basiique
Church. For centuries this structure
was covered by sand and its location a
matter of tradition until early during
the present century, when powerful
land-breeze blew the sand from the roof,
thus disclosing its exact situation.
Excavations were Immediately begun,
so that now the church is reached by
a long stairway leading downward, the
top still being but little above the
sands which surround it on all sides.
Thus it stands unique monument of
ecclesiastical architecture of the elev-
cnth century. Fortunately the dry
sand preserved the beauties of the
stained glass windows and the outlines
of Roman sculpture. At Soulac | had
the pleasure of taking a dip in the
ocean as had i'm the Bay of Biscay
during my visit to Arcachon. A
sumptuous breakfast was thoroughly
enioyed, after which we went to Saint
Estcphe where after being welcomed
by the Mayor of the town we took car
riagcs to convey us through the vine
yards of a number of the most famous
chateauX. Thousands of acres Divine
wards were traversed and stops made
at various points to test select vintages.
At the chateau Cos d Estournel we
were welcomed by the proprietor and
the method of wine making was shown.
Another reception from the Mayor
awaited us at the Marie of Pouillac,
thriving village on the shores Of the
GirOnde. The blue of cloudless sky
with the placid waters of the Gironde,
the picturesque costumes of the people
with the background of trees on the
opposite banks of the river combine to
form picture of foreign country
which memory will always retain.
Through the vineyards of st. Julien
and the Bour@ de Beychcville and we
came at last to Saint Laurent. 1t had
been Il long day and as we turned to
the front of the chateau st. Laurent
and drove in on beautiful green lawn
leaving behind us the dust of the reads
with the red sun now dropping into the
west, our surprise was only exceeded
by the sharpness of our appetites when
W. were invited by NJ. lie Comte Ia
hen t! G Mayor of st. Laurent to par
take of u luncheon which he had pre-
pared for us on learning that we would
visit his chateau. 1t is said that more
than 300 different brands of the wines
of the Mc,loc, some of the vintage Of
1864, We're placed before the delegates
at the hanquets, receptions and lunch
cons which were rendered us during
the day.
On the morrow most of the delegates
went their way to their several coun-
tries. Some. however, accepted the
invitation of one of the railroad com
panies to take a run into Spain.
1t is very pleasant to think Of the
cordiality with which | WAS greeted in
Il foreign country. The companion
ship of my contrcrcs, Miss Sheldon al d
Mr. Oeker added no little to the &C.
light of the days spent at Bordeaux,
while | shall always recall with great
pleasure the acquaintanceship of Mr..
Champion, Of Northampton, England;
NJ. Gocmare de kcyscr, Of Antwerp,
and VI. Victor Taunay, of Paris, Gen
eral Secretary of the Congress.
During the rec cnsscs between the ses-
sions fthe Press Congress have taken
several strolls through Bordeaux