The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-09-12
GETS FIRST DIET OF SNAILs
With Miss. Dorothy Adams as His
Travelling Companion He Sees Inter
esting Life in One of the Oldest
Cities Of the World.
(By Lawson r. Muzzy).
~ ~ "
ST. Malo. 18th. August

And mere the tourists are, locdteu III
one of the most strange and wonderful
ly delightful cities we have ever seen
in all our, perhaps, extended travels.
Up to last night, when we left that
rare old city, Southampton, in South
England, we heard only our native
tongue. Arriving at ST. Malo, Brit
tany at six this morning, after an all
night steaming, we hear only the
French patois. 1t seems like DIN awak-
ening in fairyland. We are unfortu-
nately not hnguists, but we understand
the significance Of "Merci, bein, -
)'s'il vous plais," "pardonnes moi, =
and SO forth. We are brushing up
nightly our French OF last year and,
yes, of fifty years ago, and hold most
remarkable conversations in the
French tongue.
AS we approached the harbor this
morning, under twenty-mile clip of
our new vessel, the Sardinia, the view
was magnificent in the extreme. St.
Malo is fortified with an impregnable,
high wall of great thickness, and was
never captured. Along in the harbor
are ancient fortresses on rock founda-
tions. The harbor is rock lined, but
safely buoyed. Still, only two days
ago, a steamer was wrecked on a
rock and we steamed closely past the
half-sunken ship with all hands strain
ing their eyes at the impressive sight.
The sea was rough and many i'll. Upon
landing there was the usual set of
French chappies who insisted upon
taking peeps through our lingerie, if
that is the name of tourist s truck in
a portmanteau. Then we passed the
Tine of "parlez vous" and selected a
big, fine chap from Jersey Island, who
represented the Hotel Belle Vue.o
We rested our faith on his veracity
and here we are at FBelleview,, sup
pose we put it. Providence guided us,
as He always does, or has so far, and
we are simply appalled, with the ex-
quisite newness, comfort and quaint,
delightful experience we are having.
We are surrounded with an immense
city wall, many centuries old, but with
VI nh OF h.
ramparts, high above the sea. Oh, but
the sight is unspeakable with gran
deur Now as to conditions in this
pension. The house seems about full
up, few English speaking, but nearly
all are French tongued. We are glad
Of that and are momentarily grasping
new ideas and getting Frenchy. Our
apartments are spotlessly clean and,
better still, unlike anything American.
So is the food. Ye gods and little
fishes! 1t is simply beyond words for
lavishness, toothsomeness and variety.
Fol years the Democrat traveller has
taken a wee bit of pride in the fact
that he had tasted and enjoyed every
thing ever eaten. But he was mistak-
en-! He had never eaten snails. AT
This writing he has, and he adores
'em! Today at noon lunch the first
ihings started were those awful
things. As others partook it was up
20 us. So we dished out>a number,
taking meantime small Shawl pin
from paper of the same on the plat
ler After slyly seeing how the Brit
>ns did it, 1 offered up an honest
prayer that nothing should happen
(you see we were never seasick) and
stuck in the jabbers, hauled out a
snaky looking object from the shell
and took it in. AS the delicate and
sweet morsel pervaded the regions of
taste and favor fear was banished and
smile of contented appreciation over
spread what had been dire suspense.
timidly turned toward my maiden
athlete, fearing the worst. But. no.
she had surrendered, too, and was an
overjoyed votary of snails. Hereafter
these things will receive an animated
welcome from both of us. Aside from
these there was served fish, so deHc-
ious, cold jambon, beef, mutton chops,
lobster, vegetables a rich and rare
hitherto unknown dessert, great pears,
a fragrant French win, etc. AS all this
is called the luncheon merely, Just
what we will get for Gle grande
diner" this evening only the most ex-
travagant imagination can fancy. Brit.
tainy is called very moderate priced
country. The reader may form his or
her own estimate when we state sol
emnly that the fare we have described
costs one dollar and sixty cents day.
inclusive. How it is done, praya This
Is the question we are asking. Come
to st. Malo, and live at the 'sHotel
Belle Vuo. 1t is a gastromic event
Of lifetime.
There is a fine cathedral here where