The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-09-01
$500 MILES ON FOUR SHILLINGS.
Jews Amazing Trip to Ober-Ammer-
gua-Winning a Wager.

A tale of adventure and determina-
ton that suggests the Middle Ages
rather than our easy-going country
could be told by young Jew who is
now probably somewhere in France
without coat or hat, but with ser
viceable cowboy shirt to his back and
a dusty old bycicle to help him on
his journey. His name is Harvey
Loeb, and he is going all the way
from Philadelphia to Ober-Ammergua
on four shillings.
AS may be guessed, the feat is be-
ing done for a wager, with a genuine
self-help purpose behind it. Mr.. Loeb
who is 21 years old, is the son OF
Russo-Jewish parents, who emigrated
to America some time before his birth
He has shown, it appears, remarka-
BILE grit and initiative ever since his
childhood. He has earned his own
living in every sort of way, from de-
livering milk to sweeping out stables.
He has even started his own father
in an aerated water factory.
All the time, however, like Barrie's
John Shand, he has been "deserate
for books While keeping himself
he has paid his own college fees at
the Philadelphia school of pedagog
and it was here that the idea OF the
trip to Ober-Ammergau took shape.
After a recent lecture on pre-
Shakespearean drama, conversation
happened to turn to the Obcr-Ammer-
gau Passion Play, and the cost Of
reaching the Bavarian village. Loeb
declared that he thought the journey
could be done on next to nothing, and
was prepared to prove it.
His fellow-students thereupon put
up 100 dollars GO pounds, which
was to be his if he succeeded in tour
ing England, France and Germany,
and in visiting the Ober-Ammerga
Passion Play, without providing him
self beforehand with any more cash
than he had on him at that moment.
His pockets were duly turned out
and only SO cents (4s) was found.
None the less Loeb accepted the
wagerer and started off forthwith.
His journey has proved anything
but luxurious. He cycled to Balt1-
more, and from there got berth as
cattle tender on board cattle ship
bound for Liverpool. The work on
board, Loeb confessed, was fearful1y
hard and rough o'clock till Z
o'clock at night-with food that
would have been "an insult to the
fishes.'' Curiously enough he found
that no fewer than eight out of the
nine cattle tenders on board were COZ
lege men like himself, working their
passage over to the old world.
From Liverpool he came to London
on his own bicycle-a 7-year-old ma
chine, which he had managed to bring
with him over the Atlantic. One night
he spent in hay loft, where he found
three Irish laborers, who sat up all
night with him while he told them
of glorious hopes in the land where
there was bread and work for ALL
When he arrived in London he was
practically penniless, and made
straight for Whitechapel. A Jewish
woman helped him to a nights shell
ter at Rowton house, and the next
morning he reported himself, coatless
and hatless, at the Offices of the Jew
ish Chronicle where his authenticitS
was inquired into, and he was helped
upon the journey to the continent.
Both the directors of the Jewish
Chronicle and from the officials Of
the Rowton house at Whitechapel, a
DAILY Chronicle representative
learnt that there was no possible
doubt about the bona fides Of Loeb
and his story.
He is, it was averred, an extremely
intelligent young fellow, full of pluck,
and bubbling over with vitality, an
unmistakable Jew, proud of his race.
and with a strong American accent.
As the guest of Lord Rowton" he
created a most favorable impression
in spite of his bizarre attire.
AS matter of fact little eccentri-
cities of dress and manner do not
startle people much at Rowton house,
where they are used to odd charac-
tiers. Round the world is common
enough tour with our guests" said
the manager, "and l dare say l could
find a few during the year who are
doing it on even less than this young
fellow London Chronicle.
The Blight of Luxury.