Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-01

There on top of those mountains
which separate Switzerland from
France we made an error which might
have proved serious. We had been
warned to travel second class in France
and Italy. bat we had become so &C
custolned to the easy going third class
carriages Of England and Germany
that When we purchased our tickets
for Arignon We bought the third class
tickets direct to Lyons. The first two
days ride in Germany was delightful.
We had Il compartment to ourselves
the greater part of the time, ard only
when we entered Switzerland did we
notice any difference. Then the cars
became more like our own cars with an
aisle down the center and seats LEADING,
from either side. These seats were not
az comfortable as those we Rad just
left. still as the car was warm and We
were more occupied in looking at the
Swiss chalets than at our fellow trav-
elers we stood it very we'll. The
change came when we took the first
French car at Geneva. AS we got into
our compartment we noticed a pipe, a
our feet. That pipe when put in at
Geneva contained hot water which was
supposed to warm the passengers. but
we had only gone q short distance when
that pipe was stone cold That was not
our greatest source of uneaSinesSN As
soon as we had disposed of our things
as well 49, we could. for there We're no
racks in this car. we began to read the
signs which We're as follows Do. not
break the windows ''Do not Throw
things ut each other" ''Do not Conduct
Yourself in q diSorderly manneyr and
such like signs which made us Hpndcr
WHAT sort of travelling cOmpanioHS we
would have We did not have to- wait
long to find out. Before the train
started in they came with baskets and
bundles innumerab BILE which might have
contained Limburger chceses from. the
way they smelt. They looked at .us in
ANA cement wondering why we had
chosen to travel in their society. 1 am
glad that We were not able at that
time to understand their French. as
doubtless to Judge from their way of
conducting themselves it would have
been disa sreeab!c to listen to. AS it
was we tried to make the best of il.
We unStrapped our travelling rugs put
them around is and sitting close by
the windows, we tried to forget the in
terror of tn" compartment by watch
ing the wonderful panorama that was
ever stretching itself before us. AL
though :hc seats Wer" AS haid and
stiff-bacl,ed az any i'll our primative
New England churches and although
We were almost freezing yet the
Rhone and the encirclng mountains
compensated somewhat for our bodil"
discomforts though as my friend said
zone can not live on scenery and the
very first thing We did on reaching
Lyons was to buy second class tickets
for Ayignon.
Our train was late i'm reaching Lyons
and we hardly liked to venture out i'm
the streets of that dark foreign city
hunting for hotel so we decided to go
straight on to Avignon. 81.
What change it was when we en-
tered the second class car. The seats
We're comfortably cushioned, the WIN
dows realty draped and.s>a j. porter
brough: pillows for those Who. wanted
to try and sleep. AS for us We would
have liked TO have slept. but we were
afraid that if we did we would get past
Avignon. SO we agreed to lake turns
sleeping.
There is one disadvantage about the
French train. there is 10 brakeman to
call ont the names of the stations, only