The sun., 1919-10-26
PARIS, Oct. is.


T HOSE lines may have been very
true when DIR. Holmes wrote
l. 1.-THE Charge of the Mullen
Stalk" but then the Boston poet never
had the good luck to visit the "A. o.
on the Rhine at Coblenz.
II you want to get thriller, just
get onto one of those excursion boats
on the Rhine, crowded with dough-
boys on an Indian summer afternoon
Old Glory swapping at the bow and
the band snorting cover There" Why
your heart will so humping as IL II
were pumping Rhine wine instead OF
mere blood, and Moselle sparkles will
chase up and down your spine like an
electric battery. Perhaps it isn't nice
TO feel that way under the circum-
stances, but you do.
But Coblenz is a closed city and as
difficult to enter as the sacred head
quarters Of Buddhism In Tibet, and
only those wearing the proud insig-
mia "a. O." on their shoulders are al
lowed there unless under special privi-
lege. Otherwise 1 should at once rec
Ommend the American occupied area
on the Rhine as the newest. the gay
est and the most fascinating place in
which to pass the winter. The fri
volities and amusements OF other re-
sorts, such as the Riviera on the Med
iterranean, and Florida or California
III
es compared with the social activities
and the programme of sports now
being arranged for the winter season
at Coblenz. I am afraid to tell all
saw and observed during the course
of weeks visit there, for fear there
might come such a rush of American
tourists that they could not be held
back by the whole Army If Occupa-
ton.
Girls Are Scarce.
The truth Is there Is a dreadful
scarcity OF girls. young girls, at Co.
blenz, and this is a drawback when 1t
Is case Of some eight or ten thou
sand young American fellows, all
strong and healthy and trimming
over with fun and q desire to live
and have a good time. About the only
ones to be pitted at Coblenz are the
officers They are having a terrible
time, poor fellows, and are burning
the midnight gas, which Is very good
In Coblenz. in their efforts to get up
amusements, pastimes and diversions,
70 say nothing about the regular
routine of drilling. in their attempt to
keep these youngsters busy and
amused, and thus keep them out of
mischief.
Tho wives Of many OF the officers
ARE arriving now 70 spend the winter
at the camp. and this may help some.
An attractive woman at Coblenz is q
queen. She is feted and wined and
dined, and she has always at her
skirts a horde of cavaliers, any one
OF them ready TO go to the death for
her II she so much as lifts her dainty
finger or expresses a wish, no matter
how extravagant.
handsome young man does not
have to year a Sam Browne In order
20 inspire admiration IN the heart Of
. woman. If he is a good dancer. and
mon Dieu! what American soldier IS
not first rate dancer? They spend
their lives at It at Coblenz, The ratio
or women is, should say ut q rough
guess, about one 70 the hundred. The
"" Is very active there and has
selected contingent composed largely
OF very capable ex-school teachers
some OF them admitting as much as
twenty years service In the manage
snent and training OF the young idea.
These poor school teachers are dancing
themselves almost to death.
/ saw a gray haired woman on the
excursion boat who never sat down or
took breath the whole afternoon
She danced perhaps, but she hardly
got an opportunity TO touch her feet
70 the deck. The boys carried her.
More, as there were not girls enough
20 go around, the master of ceremonies
oiew whistle in the middle OF every
dance and each fellow was Obliged 70
give up his partner to another.
But the Nurses.
Then there are the army nurses.
They are lively and are much sought
after, especially for the officers
dances. Most of the cases in the milf
tary hospital at present are young
fellows who have O broken fist or a
sprained wrist, and these, while taking
long while to mend, are no drawback
TO waltz A doughboy's one arm IS
strong enough for any fox trot ma
noeuvring. There is a small conttn-
gent of attractive girls at the foreign
Rf1iSsOnR tha FraDch op5 t1,n NN..-a.A
ana OF course these help some. And
then there are the frauleins, but
frauieins are forbidden. They are not
or course invited to tho dances, and
. the "A. IL rs keep "a sharp lookout
FOR any fellow caught walking with
these in the streets or mixing up too
freely at the festhalles, as such has
been the fruitful source of many
scenes resembling our race riots in the
United States.
The whole OF Coblenz Is tunnelled
with wine cellars. There are millions
or bottles Of good Rhine wine and
sparkling Moselle in the tunnels under
the City Of Confluence--Coblenz so
called because It is at the confluence
OF the Rhine and the Moselle rivers.
There are chairs and seats and cosey
corners in those tunnels known only
TO those inspired by desire TO know
ana bounded by the necessity of find
ing some safe and secret trusting
place. II there are doughboys re-
questing permission 70 marry frar-
lefns. AND II any are curious 10 knov
how and under what cIrcrr,s.oro..
eourtshiDs leading I'm 20 -,