Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-06


weather to brighten up those old
historic castles. Leaving Geneva we
jumped back an hour again i'm
mediately upon entering France. The
mountains gave place to low fertil :
regions, and while passing through the
Bourbonnais country we saw herds ot
white cattle peacefully grazing. They
were spotlessly white. Not one colored
one had strayed among them. From
the car window they looked gentle and
the herds men were generally resting
under some tree. That was the begin
ming of the smocks which we saw all
over France. They are loose shirts of
a dark color which we saw on every
peasant boy or man, though the small
school boy wears long black apron
belted in.
We were approaching the chateau
district for once in a while we saw
the remains of some one time castle.
But the white cows We're the features
OF the region. They stood forth as
plentiful as the poppes of England,
while now and them we saw horses
and pigs resting among those cows.
Then for a time the pasture land gave
way " NlIltN tt1lS. hey put 'llc WIG
to a stick and do not let it grow very
high. III Geneva we had seen umbrella
shaped trees which gave an inviting
shade, and we We're informed that
those trees were simply grape vines
trained to grow that way.
We intended to stop at Macon, but
We didn't like the looks of the place
so rode on to Moulins, which we didn't
reach until midnight. l verify believe
that Of all places in France Moulns is
the dingicst and the dirtiest Tourists
sCorn it and 1t is Only mentioned in
some French novel when the author ev-
identity doesn't wish the readers to
know where the scene is laid.
| had reckoned upon finding hotel
near the station, but there was not any
and al l could see that was promising
was Il tumblodaoWn carriage, which
was marked Hotel du Commerce. /
spoke to the driver but no che an
regular seat. | opened the door and
there he was sound asleep. / poked
him and he woke IN, installed US in his
comfortable place, and then poked his
horse, which was sound asleep. The no.
tel was more thar q mile away and the
trip was enlivened by the driver getting
down every now and then to wake his
horse up. At last we reached the
hotel where q very sleepy hotel keeper
greeted us. He seemed astonishd
to see two ladies at his inn, but ne ush-
cred us into his best room, where the
ceiling was already to fall upon us, at
the slightest proVocation. / asked for
some water but he said that would
come in the morning. so we went asleep
to be awakened by the clatter OF wood
en- shoes under our windows.
When we went down to the breakfast
room our coffee was served in large
cups with table spoons to drink it with.
The host asked us which we preferred.
bread or rolls. We replied the latter,
for after once seeing the bread in the
bakeries we never cared for any more.
The poor host was obliged to send out
for a couple of rolls, as his guests evil
IDENTIFY ate bread.
We had q two hour wait in this city,
and we explored the quaint markets,
the churches and the narrow streets,
where all life seemed to be at stand
still Donkeys were the animals used
for traffic. though sometimes a dog
trudgcd along in harness side of his
master. but he did not bear the brunt
of the burden as the Holland dog does.
The houses wore tumbled down and
dizzy, and only the CATS and dogs mer-
rily playing together showed any ac-
tvity..
When we asked for our bill we had Il
SllrnriSp The total cost including our
ride tn ard from the station was just
sixty cents apiece.
MABEL FRANCES KNIGHT.
letter No XIV "Orleans and the Maid
of OrleanS."l