The age-herald., 1899-07-23
THE GRAND DUCHESS OF BADEN
Grants an Audience-A Dutch Break fast and the Heidelberg Students Other Gossip of Interest
 Abroed and at Home
BY ANNIE KENDRIcK WALKER

B4 ANNIE hEADAhAAA oALhhR
 The number of Americans who have gone abroad this season, it is said, has been so great that the ocean steamers have been taxed beyond their capacity, and the sum- mer in Europe Is all the more delightful since at almost every interesting place there is a reunion of American friends. There are so many Birmingham people traYeIing in Europe this summer that re- unions are frequent occurrences, and the letters received here tell of many delight ful meetings in other lands. The party of Birmingham girls who sailed for Europe in May are having the most brilliant sum- mer, and have been permitted to publish some extracts from private letters received here from one of the girls in the party, who writes in the most charming and fascinat- ing manner of the impressions of an Ameri- can girl abroad.
 in London Town
 We have bean in England just one week and are delighted with the English people. We are told that we will not find the masses on the continent as charming.
 Friday we went to the London Tower by way of the Thames. Here we were dazzIed by the sight of the crown jewels Vio- tor1as crown, though very handsome looks as if it might give her the headache, and perhaps that is why she never wears 1t. The tower is historically one of the most interesting spots in London. From here we went to West Minister Abbey, where all the soverigns of England, since Harold, have been crowned. The Abbey is a splendid early English building, immense, harmon lous, solemn and highly colored. It is in- deed England's temple Of fame crowned with monuments of kings, heroes and schol- ars. The English seem such a broad-mind- ed, liberal people; admirers of a hero re- gardless of his nation. This is strongly illustrated in one part of the Abbey where lie the remains of Charles Dickens, Han- del, the great musical composer of Ger many, and those of Jenny Lind, who was Sweede.
 Just opposite this ancient structure is the hous eof parliament, an immense pile of Gothic limestone. Here for eight hun dred years the coronation banquets have been held. This building is decidedly the most imposing have seen. Here Cromwell was installed Lord Protector, and here re- sounded the eloquence of Pitt, Fox, Cha ham, Burke and Coming. We have seen Henry Irving and Ellen Terry in Robespierre at the Lyceum. It is fine and kept us spellbound from the beginning We actually seemed to view the horrible scenes of the French revolution. We leave soon for Holland and I dislike very much to go, for I think England must be the most beautiful country in the world. We have not had bad day since we landed, and the weather has been cool that we have been able to accomplish a great deal.
 Had to Pay Excess Baggage
 We arrived early in Wilhelmnas-the Virgin Queen s-dominion. On landing at Rotterdam, we found to our great disgust that our trunks had been left at the Hook of Holland, two hours run from Rotter- dam. We could not send for them, for they had to be gone through by custom house officer. There seemed nothing else to be done, so B. went to get them, leaving us among strangers indeed, for we could not talk Dutch and they could not speak Eng fish. We took car rides, visited the parks and made signs enough to make Dutch peasant understand that we wished some strawberries. At o'clock B. came and carried us to lunch. We were three raven- ously hungry girls, but did not dare order a meal without B.. We got our trunks all right, but had to pay excess baggage which is very provoking. Rotterdam, with its beautifully shaded walks winding ca- nal streets and picturesque looking peasant