Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-09-16

s SNf1A sN'h AAs 0S1oS a. itSs
1t was the ] O'Clock. We went at
once to the gate from which our train
was to leave. and until $3.50, stood wait
ing, with our suitcases beside us. 1t
wasn't long before the crowd before
the gate grew; but we were we'll up
towards the front, and expected nc diff
f1culty in getting seats. as they had
told us at the express that none would
be reserved. The crowd at the gate
was anxious, but patient and long en-
during. The heat was great. n fire.
quent luggage trucks We're sent through
the crowd. with a consequent pushing
on each side, during which it was arc
moi to fall over the suitcases beside
us. The two men who had helped us
at the express office We're cheering
every one. and tried to reserve COM
partments for their party and a num-
Der of women near them, who We're
travelling alone. There was some chaff.
One woman said: Aren't the French
awful! You can't understand a word
they say. and they won't take their
own money!
There was a terrible tension on the
train; with us it was the greatest point
OF strain we experienced. There was
the possibility of being held back at
Boulogne by lack OF passports, by the
boat not running. or by it's being over
crowded.; the crossing in a rough sea
would be frightful. n there had been
a rumor that h lighthouses were
dark; there was fear again that the
train at Follestone might be made
quate to carry 50 large a booking; and
lastly. London must be frightfully
overcrowded. and we had little hope of
finding n place to lay our heads. The
next day was Sunday. and we had
French money, and no idea how much
difficulty we might have in cashing
American ETynracc ohoclc ond 1at%arc
of credit. Our Paris experiences had
not been r~eassuring in that respect.
Ali these. possibilities went through
our anxious n tired minds over and
owe again. We reached Boulogne at
a little after Z. and there We're porters
seats on the upper deck and went at
once to the bar. where we changed
our French to English n and
bought a ham sandwich. a banana, and
a glass of ale. The sea was very
smooth. the sky cloudy, and rain fell
at intervals. but after the heat and
dust of the afternoon no one seemed
to mind. Indeed, the most noticeable
feature of the crossing was the change
in the mood of the passengers. The
strain seemed to have broken.
In Folkestone there were few por-
tiers and we carried our suitcases our
selves. All the hand luggage, by the
way was very heavy, as Americans
always have taken, as the law of the
Persians. the assurance that Sin
Europe there are always porters.' The
customs officials marked the luggage
without opening 1t. and we were put
by the guard into a first class com
partment of a train which pulled out
in a minute or two. Two Englishmen
were in the compartment. and read the
latest papers intently. We slept most
of h way to London, where we ar
rived at 1915.
The feeling of comradeship which
our common plight is noticeable
everywhere. In the hotel we were all
chatting about in the parlor and wait
ing room like old friends, and compare
experiences with other Americans on
the tops OF buses. There is a good
natured acceptance Of the privations
necessitated by our condition: we all
try to cut down our expenditure to the
absolute necessities. The same mar
who laughingly remarked. 81 had tea
at h Savoy &C. I like { o think Of
it," decided not to use a clean hand
kerchief to brush the rain of his coat.
Lndon, August 6.