Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-07-08
OCEAN VOYAGE AND SIGHTS ONLAND
Letter From Miss Bertins Olson Who is
Travelling in Norway.

tween IL dIlU q KuccSy DEl TIC Dthi -
always higher in the heavens when
wake up. j enjoy the home papers but
of course they are two weeks old or
more when they get here.
In reaching England we first had a
lovely view of France. one early MORN
ing. The Kogstad girls and | were so
anxious we hardly slept that night and
went on deck at 2:30 a. m. only to be
told that ladies were not allowed on
deck SO early. Pouting, we went below
and STAYED up and had little party
with nuts, fruit and candy and talked,
for everybody felt lighthearted because
we were 10 land that day. At a. IN.
we went again on deck and stayed
there, and watched the ship enter the
harbor of Cherbough, with its many
forts and cannons protecting the en-
trance. What we saw of France J
much like Rural England with green
fields and hedges and trees in bloom.
The last forenoon aboard was so inter-
esting we hardly took time to eat.
After landing all the swell people
and "sweller'' trunks bound for Paris
we steamed away again and the stew
ards got busy doing up their work.
Every mattress and pillow case was
brought upon deck and the straw fill
ling emptied into the channel, and
guess they had washing to land there,
count changes on beds for 8, 900 people,
table linen, aprons, white jackets, etc.
When we began to see the coast of
England we were like grown fast To the
railing. Oh, bu' it was lovely. First
the Isles of {, with its chalk cliffs,
and lovely %. ,ss, post Portsmeatii.
lac 10 nh
ships and forts and arsenals, and the
country looked so beautiful with its
fresh green grass and many blossoms
and the sun was so bright over all that
have no power to describe the scene.
Altogether England looked 50 pleasant
to me that I'D be content in any little
shop or village there, with its little red
brick houses, with tiny gardens at the
back and flowers and ivy in front
Always there's church near by.
When we landed at Southampton we
had to part from many of our ship
company. All bound for Sweden and
Norway had to stay here from Thurs
day to Saturday, so we looked around
Southampton quite bit that afternoon
and night. 1t is big city, too, and
had some fine churches and old resi-
ivy covering the high stone walls. We
enjoyed peeking in the shop windows
and comparing prices with ours, but
we had to figure quite bit in the
shilling and pence. The parks were
lovely, and just think, one could walk
on the grass and no fine for picking
flowers. That evening a girl from
Illinois, who learned to know on board.
q v.lw a. 10 I nd
spend one day there, any how, because
we could not very well stay over, but
had to go with the crowd Well, FRI
day was nice and bright and we started
on an early train. 1t was little over
two hours ride to London. | had my
good map and bS inquiring our way a
little we crossed the Thames and found
the Pertinent houses; passed on to
West Minister Abbey, where we spent
sometime, and | win not attempt to
say any thing about it or my feelings.
wished had some more appreciatiye
person with me, though, because that
girl was inclined to think Chicago beat
everything in London. She could not
realize that London was old before Chi
cago was begun. Consequently the
style &c architecture is 20 Different,
and some vi the streets narrow, and old
and venerable looking. We walked
from the Abbey to the Buckingham
Palace. OF course we expected to call
here but changed our minds when we
saw the guards in front. They wore
red uniforms with lots of gold braid and
a sort of cap helmet that looked like
black wool. | am sure ii was hot. The
parks around were lovely, but we had
to pay penny for sitting under a
hawthorne tree in Green Park in front
of the palace. | picked some leaves
from this tree and will send them to
you. just remember they have looked
upon royalty. The president of France
was just making the king visit so
there were flags flying everywhere.
We thought it was in our honor. From
here we took cab through the crowded
business section to st. Paul's, where we
lpent sometime ard saw such grand
works of sculptuc. and painting, and
the finest altar. 4 hurried visit like
this is IN agg.avation because one
ought to go again and again and be able
TO read the Latin inscriptions and get
things into ones mind. However, I'd
rather have glimpse than nothing at
all. The remainder of the day we spent
in the shops. Many things are nice
and cheap here but some things look
dowdy and oldfashioned and some of
the English girls had the oldest figures,
short in front and long backs. No
where do girls look so spiek and span
as IN our America. The little girls all
wore their hair loose, just tied at the
neck. bought an ecru lace waist here
for about half what it would cost at
home. Gloves, too, were cheaper here.
We, went back to Southampton for the
night. The next day we went through
London again and then realized more
of its size as il took as all of two hours
TO paiH through The ride through
A.aglsad viii remain with me as pleas
ant memory always. Saw great hocks
OF sheep here and cattle and many
great railroad and manufacturing towns.
In the evening We reached HUI and
after supper were hustled right on
board the North Sea boat. and the least
said about it the better for twas an old
hulk and horrid, after being used TO the
Adriatic. The weather wa amy, but
not stormy that night aud Sunday, and
most of the people were sick, but
! weathered through without a moment 5
sickness and about midnight Sunday
night We began TO see light from the
lighthouse and we stayed on deck most
of the night. Early Monday morning
We landed at Christiansand some freight
and few passengers and then we
sailed IN sight of the coast all day and
e got more and more interesting aud
Il L.