Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-09-25
MY TRIP TO EUROPE
AND ITS IMPRESSIONS
Two Months Pleasantly Spent in
the Fatherland.
First Stages of the Journey and Incl
dents on Board Ship in Cross
ing the Ocean.

- NAO IuOG LOW
months, | would like to suggest a few
things which | would call e~ssentiel to
a successful journey.
From a Christian point of view L
would say the first thing necessary for
such a long and difficult travel is TO
know and have the assurance and con-
fidence that it is in harmony with
our heavenly fathers will As a
Christian, l believe the chief aim in
my Christian life is to live in very
close touch with God, who con-
descends to take part in our affairs
and to be as child-like toward him as
possible. And as a child seeks the
consent and support of its parents, SO
a child of God desires the consent and
support of its heavenly father. I
knew from the start TO the finish of
my journey that God was with me,
which I have witnessed many times.
I have never been sick except the sec
ond day of my voyage to Italy. l
have enjoyed myself every blessed
day sven though dissatisfied, mock
ing, grumbling people surrounded me.
My policy was ''put sunshine and
smiles into every day and it will
come back replenished and multiple
ed" 1 have never lost a minute of
time nor a cent of money. The Lord
has been good to me. He has been
truly my keeper and the shade upon
my right hand"
Secondly l would say in order tc
have a successful journey, a thorough
study of the country or countries to
be visited is very essential. One
ought to be informed of its geography
and especially of the topography of
every district. city and place of in
terest Knowing the historical back
ground of any place, structure or piece
of art of especial interest it is easy to
make a journey pleasant, interesting
and instructive. Successful, profitable
travelling therefore Is not an easy
matter. I think it is rather a difficult
task.
Here let me say that the crowding
and not crowding yourself with your
viewings and visitations depends
naturally upon the amount of time
at your disposal. 1t is impossible to
digest everything that you see at
once. especially when you visit
such a country as Italy, with so great
a history and being called the land of
art and heauty. You have to look at
so many things, take quick notice of
them, pass on and afterward mediate
and digest.
Another very observable thing is to
be very moderate in eating and drink
ing, to abstain from any kind of
beverage as much as possible, to use
all precautions in drinking water;
this has given mt nearly exhaustless
strength in making long days.
Many other smaller things I might
suggest, but | suppose you are i'm
patiently waiting to hear about my
trip.
L am not able on account of lack of
time to rawrite and arrange my
material in a mere pleasant and COM
positehiction, therefore / will simply
copy it from my day book.
| left Dubuque the Goth of May,
- p. IN. It was rainy and dreary
and this together with my heart
wounded which my departing from
dear wife and baby had created.
placed me in a rather melancholy
estate. The next morning it was
fresh and wholesome In nature. l saw
little water pools on the prairies CT
Illinois. The day dawned beautiful,
the sun rose with majesty and glory.
AS with healing and comfort in its
wings for a poor down hearted traveller.
Slowly we entered into the gates of
the great metropolis. Chicago. Here
I had to wait a few hours for my train
to New York, and while stopping at
a restaurant. a man dropped dead
close by me hundreds of people
gathered about him in a few minutes;
he was carried off Immediately and
lost in the multitude Of men.
Early in the afternoon we were
already rolling over the prairies of
Indiana. / saw much flat land, some
of it swampy and some sandy.
Close to the track were beautiful
green meadows to be seen and a
quarter of a mile away a sand storm
was playing. A little later on We
passed through the forest part OF
Indiana. its groves with its great
variety of trees reminded mt of Wis
c~onsin, only the hills and rocks were