The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-03-07
VISIT STRANGE. LANDS
Mrs. W, G, Jeffries Writes Very In.
terestinely of Their Trip to
the Old Country.
Vienna. Austria, Feb, Is, 1912.

| tuC UuU OUUUSuJs
Vienna, Austria, Feb. Is, 1912.
Editor Reporter and Friends:
AS we are now cozily settled in
Vienna I will attempt to tell you OF
our delightful journey and some OF
the interesting places we have visit
ed.
After leaving home Dec. 5, our
journey to Hoboken was uneventful
except for a visit at Niagara Falls
which, it is needless to say, was
greatly enjoyed. We arrived in Ho-
boken the day before our boat was
scheduled to sail therefore we had a
day for sightseeing in New York. So
after a hurried visit to the boat In
the harbor we boarded ferry boat
and were soon in the second largest
city in the world where We spent the
day seeing as many points of inter-
est as was possible in so short time.
think we enjoyed the great aquar-
ium with all it's wonderful fishes and
animals of the sea most of all. =
Early Dec. 8, amid the hurry and
hustle of this great eastern port we
boarded the steamship Berlin. AZ
ter we had located our stateroom We
hurried upon deck to bid farewell to
our friends, lady from Holland and
her son, young banker from Cedar
Rapids, whom we had met at the
Falls, and to watch the preparations
for sailing which were being dis
patched with great haste, as we were
due to sail in short time.
The excitement of the occasion ex-
ceeded our fondest imagination.
While standing on the deck we could
see at the front of the boat the steer
age passengers as they file on board
each carrying his own baggage on
his back. Nearer the center of the
boat were several gang planks for
) the first and second class passengers
while at the back end of the boat the
sailors were loading the baggage
with great derricks There were
many people who had come to bid
stood upon the pier they kept up a
on the boat. 1t is quite true that
there were many sad faces there
but the majority seemed to hide their
sorrow behind smile and with jests
and laughter endeavored to cover
the sorrow occasioned by the parting.
Everyone seemed to have friends to
bid them farewell and I fear without
the two familiar faces of our Holland
! friends we would have been quite
lonely. - :l =. L..
= Bye and bye the last -passsngea
was on board, the last bit of baggage
was loaded and one by one the gang
planks were lifted. Several hoarse
blasts from the boats whistle gave
signal of our departure and amid the
music of the boats band and the
shouting and waving from the pier
answered by the passengers on board
we began slowly moving out into the
sea. The excitement of this occasion
was intense. Each passenger seemed
determined to get the last possible
glimpse of his friends on the shore
and not until we had turned at an
angle which obstructed our view OF
the pier did the waving cease. When
we could no longer see our friends We
turned our attention to the fastly
disappearing cities of Hoboken and
New York and the beautiful and i'm
pressive Statute of Liberty. Finally
these objects, becoming so dear to us
now that we were leaving our father
land, faded from our view. In
short time we passed Sandy Hook
where a government boat took of
the mail and with increased speed We
set out in earnest for our long voy-
age.
The weather, although little
chilly, was all that could be desired
and the sea was surprisingly calm,
slowing rising and falling in long
graceful swells. We remained on
deck watching the fastly receding
shore line and the army of sea gulls
which accompanied the ship until
the luncheon bell called us to the
dining ROOM When luncheon was
over we returned to the deck to find
that we had passed entirely from the
sight of land. Everywhere as far as
the eye could reach was nothing but
blue sky and the wide and boundless
ocean. AS we gazed out over this
vast expanse of blue sea the gran
deur of the scene held us spellbound.
But with the briny invigorating
breath of the sea in our faces, the
sunbeams dancing merrily over the
blue waves and the cOngenial COM
panionship aboard the boat we soon
felt quite at home and prepared to
enjoy ourselves despite our great
fear of seasickness. Seasickness,
however, proved to be a rare occur
renee during this voyage, only few
cases being reported. Our boat was
heavily loaded carrying cargo of
|14,000 tons, chiefly cotton and retin-
ed oil, aside from three hundred first
and second class passengers and a
steerage of two thousand, four hun
dred. The steerage passengers were
mostly Italians returning home for
the holidays. We were also told that
many of the men were returning to
join the army.
| From our deck we had view of
a part (the male portion) Of the
jsteerage The deck for the steerage
women and children was in the fore