South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-04-28

An intimate view OF Paris as seen
~ a Sammy in his first visit 10 tho
French capital. is contained in an
interesting letter received In this
city b. Mrs. Oscar Maxey. 1921 r.
Donald St, from Harley McKesson,
a member OF the American expedi-
tionary force. McKesson spent two
weeks furlough in Paris and de-
scribes his impressions as follows:
Dear friend have been back
from my furlough about two weeks
end I'll try 10 give you a few i'm
pressions that 1 got in Paris OF
France and French people.
thought I'd wait a while before
writing this. though, for one can
always get a better view OF a house
from a distance than from the in
side. Then, too, / was afraid that
my enthusiasm might lead me 20
make some overdone remark about
the gay city.
About a dozen OF our fellows
went down on the 29th Of January.
We stayed at the Palais- Royale no.
tel. which has recently been taken
over by the American University
union. II is near the center OF
town and so we all made that place
our headquarters for the week. The
large thesters are almost in a circle
around the hotel and I don't sup
pose that il is more than 10 min
utes' walk 20 the farthest one. We
chose the University union for that
reason. but OF course we didn't know
then how cheap taxicabs were there
or we might have made a different
choice.
After a troubled nights sleep.
y for it wasn't easy to 90 from blan-
kets 10 a respectable bed, Mcintyre
and 1 started out on foot to see
Paris. We intended 20 walk until
We were tired and then hire a car
10 bring us home. This taxi was 10
serve two purposes, for we expected
20 get lost in the first 10 minutes.
and we succeeded.
We went over TO the provost
marshars office and got our fur
Tough papers stamped. Then we
rambled on down Rue de rOpera.
stretching our necks nearly out Of
shape and taking in everything the
city had TO offer. We saw a few
beautiful buildings and few arches
built in 1892. OF course we had to
have a long look at the arches. for
they were standing lengthwise of the
street and for no apparent purpose;
then, too, they were rather old for
Americans We had wandered
around for a couple OF hours. run
ming across a cathedral now and
g,-F, a
seen before. when We ran across
taIkative Canadian soldier. He
wanted 10 show us the best place to
cat. I think he did, too. but mas
much as we could never find the
place again. had only one meal
al the place and my judgment may
be wrong.
After dinner he showed us the
prettiest promenade in Paris and
also took us TO the Arch Of Trt-
umph." This is a massive structure
about 100 feet high. The arch
through II is probably so feet high.
Above the archway is printed the
events for which the arch IS famous.
Among many other things were
printed the fact that Napoleon had
marched beneath the arch on his re-
turn from the battle OF Austraiitz.
and finally as emperor. The German
crown prince also marched through
the archway in 1871. After we as
sured ourselves that the arch was
real we walked on down through
the TuIlieres gardens. This is one
of Paris prettiest parks and has
lincoln park backed off the map.
The whole park is filled with
statuary OF Greek NEUROLOGICAL
characters. In the center OF the
park is a large fountain. IL is quite
useless for me TO try ard describe
this park, for never saw anything
like II before. and I am at a loss
for comparisons. We finally drag
ged ourselves from the park and
crossed the Seine river on the
bridge. Alexander III This bridge
f.. very pretty. too. II has a large
statue on each side OF either end
and guilt work along on the rail-
ings. besides forms of mermaids,
sea lions. etc. cut into the stone on
the sides OF the arch.
while we were on this bridge I
noticed a tower protruding far
above the other buildings about il
The air was foggy that day and We
could see only a part OF the tower.
hut we recognized il at once, and
we set out 10 get a closer view OF
the highest building on earth. or
course YOU have seen many pictures
Il the Einel tower and ii looks just
Ike the pictures show IL, but pic
tare doesn't give you any real idea
Cf its height. II is constructed Of
STEEL throughout and seems 20 stand
on four legs A small elevator goes
M one Of the legs 10 the first land
ing. from there 20 the TOP the ele-
yator goes up the center OF the
tower. Evergreen trees grow d.
rsctIy under the tower beneath the
first landing
When Mcintyre and tried 20 re-
turn home we got lost. according 70
our plan. 7 bought a map OF the
city from a kid. tried 20 use it, but
IN vain. and then stopped the first
taxi that came along. I guess he
knew more about the town than We
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