The Wichita daily eagle., 1900-08-22
SUFFERED FOR WATER
Americans at Paris Exposition
Cannot Quench Their Thirst
MISS EVA MINNICH WRITES
And Tells of Many Disappoint-
mentS in France.

Miss Eva Minnich, the Wichita public
school teacher who has been touring Eu-
rope has written a letter concerning her
impressions Of Paris, the city Of the
great exposition. The letter was written
to her brother here, Mr.. Ira Minnich,
and contains much of interest to the av-
erage American
Miss Minnich left Wichita in June and
has been in the principal places on the
continent since that time Judging from
her letter, Paris and Parisians were very
disappointing. One of the principal fea-
lures of her letter is the manner of liv-
| ing in Paris and of the difficulty Of for
eigners in securing drinking water and
in many cases Americans actually suff-
cred for water.
Mrs. Minnich reaches New York within
few days. She will stop in the east
returning to this city about September 1.
| The letter to Mr. Ira Minnich follows:
Brighton, Eng. Aug. 1. 1900.
Dear Brother and Sister-I am glad to
inform you that I left Paris last Monday,
July 80 1t was so hot there and we ac-
tually suffered for drinking water.
Everybody drinks wine by the bottle.
We did not. drink wine so we were not
"in it" You have to buy ice water the
same as lemonade or any other drink,
and the lemonade wasn't fit to drink.
Finally we had to drink wine, but 1t
didn't quench our thirst at all. There
were 1872 tourists who left Paris last
Monday morning and there wasn't a one
of US that shed a tear. Everyone was
glad to get away. Everything was so
high 1 did not buy near all 1 intended.
We can buy the same things in London
much cheaper than in Paris. They're all
regular Jews in Paris. 1 was very much
disappointed in that city. at is not what
it seems to be-" They are all about half
drunk all the time. Nearly every other
door is a wine shop. I wouldn't live in
Paris for the whole republic and all their
counts thrown in. There is no place on
earth like America If you don't believe
it just take the trip that 1 have taken
and you'll soon be convinced. We had a
fine time until we came to Paris. OF
course we couldn't talk French and that
was the main trouble. We couldn't make
our wants understood and they couldn't
tell US anything. Finally we caught on
to few French words and could get
along pretty well towards the last. all
but the drinks we didn't have any de-
cent drinks. When you found ice cream
you only got three teaspoonsful to a
dish, and 1t wasn't good.
We went to the United States pavilion
and found some real American>ice cream
soda I tell you it was good, and the
waiter talked English, too. We met ev-
cry American with a smile.
The majority of the poor French peo-
pie live on dry bread and wine or beer
1t is awful the way they have to live
We haven't had decent bread but once
and that was in Brussels. They are all
fine cooks there and in NOSE places they
bake the bread In little rolls about six
inches long and they are as hard as
rocks.
We left Paris last Monday morning and
came to London. The crowd dispersed
and I was left alone, so I came down
here to Brighton with four young ladies
from Texas. One of them has been ny
TOOIn mate all along. we came UOWn
here to rest, and resting We surely are,
for we were all nearly played out with
last weeks tramp at the fair. We have
four meals a day and sleep the greater
part of the rest of the time. We are go
ing back to London about Sunday. On
the following Tuesday I will start on my
Irish trip Thursday, August 9 we start
home and it will be a happy day for us
when we land in New York. 1t will take
US eleven days to go, providing we have
no bad luck, and that will make US due
in New York August %.
l hope you'll write so there will be
letter in Cleveland by the time I get
there. I thought perhaps 1 might get
letter in Paris. but 1 did not When does
school commence Don't forget to tell
me in your next letter. I did not go to
Switzerland and for several reasons, and
1 am very sorry 1 missed that trip as I
had counted so much on it, but the next
time come III take that in.
Brighton is a very delightful summer
resort. This is the place where the Prince
of Wales comes on his vacation. It is
situated on the southern coast of Eng
land and is an ideal place to hest. Tt is
quite large place but the principal noise
to be heard is the sound Of the sea We
are right on the from and can hear the
roaring all the time. II is a lonely place.
I'll he glad to leave, though, for I am
quite restless and like TO be on the move
Mr.. Rickard and Mr.. Pucket have start
ed home from Glasgow. You VIII likely
see them before I come home They can
tell you some thing of how we got along
we were together all the time Mr.
Rickard had a hard time OF IT, yet he
seemed 10 enjoy parts OF the trip Wen
tell you our experiences. I don't think
you'u hear from me again until I strike
America Love 70 all. AS ever your SIS
ter, EVA MINNICH