Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1917-08-29
of Minneapolis Writes Master Style of First I'm
pressions Across the Pond-Ths Is Good Reading
You Will Find Anywhere.


ten Stevens and nephew of Mrs. F.
t7. Calls Of this city, writes the fol-
lowing interesting account of life in
France Young Stevens is a member
Of the NortOn-Harges, an American
ambulance corps serving under the
direction of the French government.
Stevens writes from his diary, and it's
worth reading.
Norton-Harjes Section American
volunteer Ambulance Section, Some
where in France, July 8, 1917.-Dear
Mumsie and Dad: The last time ]
wrote you l was in Paris having sur
vived a twelve-hour nerve-racking
ride in a third-class coach from BOr
Geaux
While I did not sleep much that
night for obvious reasons, ! thorough
ly enjoyed the trip and experience.
There was a full moon, which made
the country appear doubIy beautiful
All France is one huge intensively
cultivated garden, beautiful in the eX-
treme with the grain fields cut into
small patches, its sleepy graceful
Damlets chateaus and old farm hod5-
es Nothing is made of wood.
Since | have been here l have not
seen frame building. Stone and ce-
ment are used exclusively and it gives
an atmosphere of solidity to every
thing.
Many of the farm homes are really
beautiful, with their red-tiled roofs
and vine-cOvered walls.
| have written as much about our
trip over as space will permit and in
my last letter mentioned a few of the
events since landing in Bordeaux.
I will take glance at my diary
and give you the interesting things
therein.
July did very little sleeping last
night. Wrote until one and then went
on deck to get first sight of land.
Sighted land about 4 o'clock. We
had no convoy during any part Of our
voyage. A fine sunrise.
The small fishing smacks with their
brilliant red, pink, purple, yellow or
green sails made pretty picture.
Went to bed at o'clock and got up
in time for dinner at 1920.
The engines of the boat stopped
for the first time in nine days when
we took on board pilot at 4 a. m.
Had my passport vised, my luggage
inspected and then dragged every
thing on deck to have it checked to
Paris.
It was ong-drawn-out process.
Mo one seemed to know what he was
doing, least of all the French.
After playing baggage smasher for
several hours I managed to have my
trunk weighed and checked.
All this time the boat was slowly
going up the Garonne on the tide to
Bordeaux a distance of sixty miles
from the rivers mouth. The country
on the east side especially was very
beautiful-many fine chateaus
We reached Bordeaux at 6 p. m.
and marched directly from the pier to
the Paris railway station, where a
specia! train had been provided for
US. AS this did not leave until 9:20 we
found time to get supper. After nine
b0urs Of abstinence it tasted very
good Saw little of the city except
that portion along the river between
pier and railway station.
Got our midnight lunch to eat on
the train and started for Paris in
tbird-class coaches. The train was
special, making few stops and good
time.
The coaches are entirely different
fr0n ours. All are much like a COM
partment sleeping car, an aisle along
one side and several cross compart-
ments accommodating six to eight
people Second class is very COM
Portable and is usually taken by the
middle classes, but third class is poor.
We endured it, however, and had
good time Played 900" for awhile
ate our lunch Of sardines, bread, lem
ODade, dried fruit and canned meat
and viewed the country. In the moon
light the country looked fine
July ARRIVED in Paris at nine
O'clock Weather cloudy From the
station we were all taken in cabs to
hotels. The Norton-Harjes men and
the American Ambulance separated.
There were about fifty Of us and al
most 100 Of the American Ambulance
on board our boat We went to
small hotel, the Hotel Silvia. Har-
rover, a Penn State man, and I got a
fine room with two beds. 1t reminded
me Of the show Irwin Beds"
Reported to Z Rue Francois Prem
iere. Found that our fare from Bor-
deaux Will be paid by them as well as
board and lodging.
We got our breakfast at the Silvia
and other meals at Hotel du Palais.
Got the name Of the latter and started
out to find it. As there are half
hundred Palais hotels we had quite
time
Found the taxi rates in Paris very
reasonable confines for 600 me
ters
Saw LeClaire and Sheldon Of Min
eapolis, Phi Psis at the U. of M. |