The Mankato free press., 1918-06-14

| STORY Of A TOURIST
"Just bristling with military ac-
tivity" is the description of Europe
Immediately preceding the war, as
given to a Free Press reporter today
by Rev. H. A. Sawyer, son of Mrs. J.
w. Sawyer, SIS Hickory street, who
was home on a short visit.
Shortly after graduating from
| Yale Mr.. Sawyer and his brother, w.
E. Sawyer, Gilbert Campbell and
Bryant Wilson, all Yale graduates,
decided on a trip to Europe. They
purchased a Ford automobile for
$625, the price of the machines in
1913, and made it their boon COM
panion in their voyage of exploration
of the 'old country" Gilbert Campbell
went on the same boat with the ma
chine, and Messrs. Sawyer and
Wilson, went third class steerage
from Quebec. They were bound for
great adventures, and during their
absence from America accumulated a
fund of them which would fill good
sized volumn. The four friends and
outftted with a complete camping
equipment for their camping tour.
They travelled about 1900 miles in
England, Scotland and Wales, spend
ing three weeks in those countries.
Then they sailed for Holland, landing
at a small port, and spent some time
touring Holland and Belgium. They
did not dare take pictures of the
many forts because this is considered
great offense, and might result in
arrest and Imprisonment.
From Holland the party of Ameri-
cans drove to Antwerp, arriving one
Sunday afternoon, when a big fes-
tival in celebration of the port treaty
between Belgium and Holland was in
progress.
i Suspicion of strangers in the land
was shown very clearly, and every
where the Americans went their
habit of camping out nights was
viewed with distrust, and their re-
pose was often rudely interrupted by
they might be foes of the govern
ment. The tourists visited many
places of interest, including Brussels
the Belgian capital, and the old
Waterloo battlefields. Journeying to
France they found that the French
police were quite suspicious oi
strangers The first night they camp
ed in France they were routed from
! their hunks three times, and made
to explain who they were, and what
they meant by travelling around and
camping out nights instead of seek
| ing shelter at hotels. At Amiens
, they visited the beautiful cathedral
and at noon on the same day had
| lunch in restaurant at Cambria
where the jovial French people had
great sport with the French language
as spoken by the Americans. The
people in the restaurant laughed
; when the Americans ordered milk
and water instead of red French
wine, but the crowning astonishmen1
, of the. French came when the Ameri-
cans ordered pie. Such a thing was
I evidently unknown, and the Ameri-
cans were forced to content them.
f selves with a species of fruit cakes
The tourists traversed the plains O
the Somme, and finally journeyed tt
. Rouen and Paris, passing through
the heart of France toward Rome
Italy. They crossed the mountains
and travelled over large portion o
the land where battles have sine,
:. been raging, and went to Milan owe
st. Godard's Pass through the Alps
travelling in their doughty Ford car
: At Lucerne they spent one night
before continuing to the German
frontier.
Great strictness and formality wa
encountered at the German border
!, but finally they secured upon pay
ment of the necessary fee, a permi
i to spend week touring the Germa
empire. A group of young Germa
n officers whom they met proved yer
7 friendly and invited them to spen
the night at their barracks. TIL
# Germans told the Americans tha
o about 10000 German troops wer
mobilized and maneuvering in lowe
y Alsace. This was a very significar
y fact in the light of the war whic
o followed.
! "The whole of Europe was ap
: parently on military rampage
: said Mr.. Sawyer. Everywhere W
: went we were impressed with th
t. fact that Europe as an armed CAM
n We frequently saw artillery and in
IL fantry at practice. We attended a
English church service at F'rieber,
.. and then visited Strasberg, his
Of torical place taken from the Frenc
TX by the Germans, and the cathedr;
ir still bearing the marks of the Gel
" man shells. We also saw the large.
ID and most wonderful clock in tE
s. world here.
lel while camping in the Blac
N Forest we came near having serio,
a trouble. About 80 a. m. we wei
awakened by electric flashes in O,
I'd faces and awoke to see five of tt
ry biggest German policemen 1 ha,
e. ever seen gazing down at us. The
re held a big hound in leash which W,
rs striving to get us. We showed OF
in credentials, and they were obliged
% go away and leave us in peace. TIL
w is typical of Germany. They ket
no strict watch of strangers We visi
no ed many points of interest includil
. Aachen, the jumping off place
:. ,G0rmany'S forces in southwest Go