Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1911-07-06
IN SUNNY FRANCE AND SPAIN.
President C. R. Highiowsr Tells
Interestingly the Story Of Hi,
Trip Abroad.
From the Union Advocate.
fst-....s.-...1 E.. L.. ....t.


Confined from last week.
Ny first stop was at Paris. Our
sealed baggage went through
from New York to Paris without
being opened. The custom ofl-
Ger had gone through our grips
when we landed at Cherbourg.
The same proceeding had to b.
gone through with at Paris with
our sealed baggage. The tariff
laws of France are not very strict
On any commodities except whis-
key and tobacco. The French
government controls the sale OF
all tobacco and the duty on al
imported tobacco is very high. \
decent Havana cigar which sells
fOr ten cents in the United States
cannot De bought for less than
thirty nve cents in France. y
fellow traveller had bought
package OF tobacco in New York
.or 10 cents. The custom officer
collected thirty-fve cents duty
rom him On this package OF to-
/ bacco.
Ispent the night in Paris and
took the train next morning tor
Barcelona: hence did not get o.
see but little of the city unul my
return q week later. | Travelled
on the direct line from Paris to
Madrid. The country lying be-
tween Paris and Bordeaux in the
south Of France is the most beau
tiful agricultural country | have
ever seen. The beautiful valleys
are in Il perfect state of cultiya
ton. The slopes and rolling
country are covered with fields OF
small grain and here and there
could be seen soms ancient cas-
lie on high elevation overlooking
the valleys. The farmers live in
small villages and 20 out in the
morning 10 cultivate the surrOun-
ding country. The village church
and school IS everywhere to be
seen and the whole SEE ton mas
the appearance Of being prosper
Gus, ane the people well content
81. For the most part they are
believers in the Catholic faith.
This beautiful stretch OF country
with the almond tres here and
there, IS not calculotsd u impress
one as being the scene where the
famous Joan of Arc figured So
prominently in the history vi
France.
Orleans has the appearance OF
being a prosperous and progress
sive city, bus the old style build-
lngs and the great stone walls ey-
erywhsre 10 De seen are sufficient
testimony Of lis antiquity. The
statue Of the Maid Of Orleans
seems 10 be of the most interest
Thousands Of tourists visit il ev-
cry year. The nag OF this French
heroine is the only flag not rec
tcgnlzed as as an official one that
Is permitted TO float in the French
Republic.
The scene Is greatly changed
as one reaches the south OF
France. The mountains and val
leys are covered With vineyards,
aeld after held and section after
section, as far as the vision Will
permit. can De seen this thriving
industry. Bordeaux Is one OF
the principal oeaters. AMI it is
said 10 produce the best wine in
the world. Long lines of wine
casks, built on dat cars, are as
common in southern France as
the oil tank ears in the oil fields
Of the United States. \ portion
81 my trip across southern France
vas made during the night. At
8 0 clock in the morning I looked
from my car window and saw the
moon sinking behind the Pyren-
ees mountains, just where they
approach the west end Of the Me-
elterraneaa Sea. In little while
thus same moon seemed to &c ris-
ing and sinking again below the
horizon. This strange pnenom-
ena occurred some eight or ten
tunes, and a. | could not see the
formation Of the country il was
hard 70 explain, but when pass
ing over the same line i few DAYS
later IN daylight, il was easily
understood. The railroad runs
along the shore line Of the NeiI-
terEaGean and as the mountains
draw nearer the shore. or recede
from 1t, the shore would change
tie angle Of vision in such a way
as 10 make the moon have the
appearance of rising and setting,
The scenery just here, as view
ed IN my daylight trip, is the most
beautiful saw on all the conti-
nent. The great expanse of blue
water on the East stretching away
TO the shores of Italy and Turkey
and the mountain scenery on the
West, with green valleys here
and there coming down to the
waters edge, and then lofty
peaks, with some ancient castles
oristling from their SUBMITS. and
a cluster OF fishermen's huts nest
ing over som g overhangine
rocks, makes one of the most pic
turesque scenes. 1t leads ones
mind to more fully appreciate the
doIngs OF the ancients and makes