The chronicle=news., 1914-10-05

II OF the titanic struggle In Europe
where they witnessed the actual
preparations for the siege of Paris
real fighting us any non-eombatants
were allowed to go, Mrs. Frank p.
Hawke and Miss Edna Hawke have
returned from an extended tour OF
England and the continent, which
was cut short by the war, only after
they had endured numerous hard
ships and made every effort to carry
out their original itinerary regard
less of the dangerous conditions
which existed.
II A hay rack ride of 20 miles over
the wonderful mountain roads of the
Bernese Oberland in connection
with their journey from Milan to
Paris was one of the unusual and ex-
tremely interesting experiences en-
joyed by the well known Puebloans.
while later at Amicns they became
personally acquainted with many
members OF q company of Berkshire
Guards, composed of 100 gentlemen
of an English community who had
|
regiment for service in France, only
to hear in London following the ad-
vance of the Germans that only 80 OF
the 700 remained alive.
The Pueblo travellers were indeed
fortunate. as far as obtaining return
passage was concerned for after the
Kroonland of the Red Star line. uo-
on which they had engaged passage
months in advance had been remove ed
from the service. they called at the
office of the Atlantic Transport line
in London but a few minutes after a
first class reservation on that line
had been cancelled and after com
paratively short wait of only week
sailed on the liner Minnetonka from
Queenstown for New York City.
I'VE really did not have any more
hardships than all the rest OF the
Americans who were abroad" said
Miss Hawke. who is one of Pueblo s
prettiest and most popular young
women yesterday afternoon. and we
did not mind them at all. In fact
they seemed very commonplace at
the time and right in accord with the
general trend of affairs which in
cluded the most elaborate prepara-
tions for war. ..
I'VE had an uneventful voyage OF
IA days from New York to Naples
and had taken in Southern Italy and
Venice and were enroute to Milan
when We heard that war had been
declared. We thought such thing
impossible In this day and age and
all of the Americans who were on
our train Joined with us in laughing
at the things which might happen II
such were the case. We did not re-
alize then that the truth was even
worse than our widest fancies could
that we would he brought face to
face with conditions absolutely
unique in the history of travel
abroad.
After spending about a week in
Milan We decided we wanted to go to
Paris. 1t was then that the Cook 8
tour company through which we had
purchased tickets for the entire trir.
cut us loose. refunded us portion
Of our money and refused to assume
any further responsibility for getting
us home. Fortunately we had suffi-
cient cash to last and were NOT
obliged to sacrifice much time and
money getting drafts cashed.
I'VE were told in Milan that the
railroad service to Paris was discon-
tinued but that ii we wished to make
an overland trip OF 30 miles and car
ry our own baggage that we could
get through.
I'VE decided to take the chance
and couple of men in the party
went ahead and engaged a hay wae-
on to carry us over the gap from one
train to another. We all loaded on
with trunks and suit cases. a couple
Of hunks of sour Italian bread. 4
couple of bottles of wine and nothing e
else for refreshments. Instead of be
ing disagreeable the trio proved ex.
tremely interesting and will be re-
membcrcd as ore of the most enjoy
able features of the trip. In that
manner we saw some country whicl
would have been closed to us from
the train The roads were elegant
and we made the drive in less thar
day.
Getting back on the train asair
we could only get third class accom-
modations and we were packed II
for three days and nights getting tt
Paris. a trip which ordinarily Is
made in one day or night. Occasion
ally we We're stopped, told to unloat
and take another train. Everyone
was searched and made to produce
passports and credentials at eacl
|, stop. the idea of changing trains tt
| preclude the possibility of spies be
ing concealed in each train which W.
!, left. Occasionally they passed in ;