The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1918-05-10
SEEING A BIT OF FRANCE

ergeant Frank M. Dallam, Jr.,
Ting to a member of his family
b somewhere in France" gives
following interesting description
trip he recently took in motor
hort distance from the barracks
ere he is stationed:
has been my good fortune to have
eral automobile trips about this
ION recently, one of them to a
n of considerable Importance and
BIT historical interest. The wealth
ould not be more perfect for mot
BIZ and the roads in France seem
3ays the best. The last town visit
us about 40 miles from here, and
Ify foot of the way is full of charm
Il passed through many little vii
s, houses of stone, as everyw here
here, and the streets like mar
~ crooked alleys. For most of the
the road followed a beautiful
1er with highly cultivated fields ris
in gentle slopes on either side
y many chateaux along the way,
- surrounded with stone walls en-
ling ample grounds, usually COW
a with trees.
The distinguishing feature of the
q is an old and remarkably beauti-
81 cathedral which was begun about
18th century and completed in the
d. The twin steeples OF the cathe-
a can be seen for several miles
ore entering the city, as they rise
I'VE all the other edifices. A great,
|sive pile of stone, the cathedral is
Impressive thing at distance, but
kreal charm and fascinating beauty
Fly grips one upon near approach.
= face of the edifice and the two
lWers are adorned with mass of
4ricate and delicate and infinitely
carving in a bewildering
Iriety of patterns until the heavy
me is made to look as light and airy
IAN exquisite piece of lace. From
y street to the top of the towers the
ne work is frosted and fluted and
4tted and embellished in manner
- is in conceivably beautiful, and
y mass of il is so completely har-
nnious that it is difficult to seek out
|kails. All of this work was done
y to seven hundred years ago, and
IN on close inspection does one dis
yer the inroads of time and the
let's of the elements. Yet time and
y elements have probably added to
ther than detracted from the beauty
Nthis great work for they have soft
ID it all. The sharp edges are gone
"a age has added distinction while
6tory in the making has crowded it
{kh the romance of great events long
ice transpired. Three great oaken
jDrs, set in massive arches, give en-
tnce to the church, and the expanse
n that interior fairly makes one
bp. Two rows of great, bulky pill
Is, stretching down the perspective
n the vast reaches of the interior,
pport the arched and vaulted roof
4 high that all detail is lost in dis
Zee.
"a service for children was in pro-
ess in the center of the church
Yen | entered. but the droning voice
kthe priest, and even the shrill pip
! responses of the little ones. was
Itened and subdued in that eXpan-
Fe place, so I could freely walk
but without disturbing or intruding.
<number of other American soldiers
ere also viewing the church, and we
wandered about unnoticed. Many
5e and probably rare paintings deco
led the walls, but the most strik-
. feature was the wonderful stain
glass in the windows of the cathe-
|al.
Such colors and combinations of
0ors, they BATTLE description. The
illiant light of sunny day flooded
(rough them, softened and broken
y into rays and patches of all the
les of the rainbow. their rich tints
Thing the deep warm flagstone floor
the cathedral in great splotches of
n and green and purple and gold