Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-03-27
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President Wilson. The seas were
rather rough on the way over, but not
what you call dangerous. There were
no very important people going over.
By the way, you asked me what
did on board When the president is
on board I am one of his guards.
The ship arrived in Brest in driv-
ing rain as usual over there February
IS. Going over we heard about the cap
tain's sending leave party to Paris,
but we thought it all talk. But after
the ship was anchored the captain
showed off three leave parties for
those that wished to go to Paris. and
of course / went The first party had
five days, the second four, and the last
three days. AS luck would have it
was in the second party.
The train for Paris left at o'clock
and we were right there to board it.
The French railroad is sure behind
the times-the engine is all open and
all the wheels on the coaches are
great high things. We had a special
car and rode second class, as there is
very little difference between first and
second-class coaches. The majority Of
the French people ride third class.
The second class cars have one long
aisle along the side and outside Of this
the car is divided into seven or eight
compartments, each enclosed with
glass and holding eight people.
G1sct CT
was the most beautiful city that l
ever laid eyes on. It lay in valley
with little river running through it.
We passed over it ON a tresse1 six o.
seven hundred feet high.
Not long after we left this place
some of our high-spirited sailors got
playful and ;cked all the window
lights out of our compartments in the
train. From then on into Paris we
almost froze. About O'Clock they
turned on the heat, but we soon got
off. The French cars are heated by
a steel footp:ece midway between the
seats.
We went through the city Of Yer
sailles, saw the old kings palace, arti-
fetal lake and forest. The train ar
rived in Paris about $3.50 the next
morning and then the tired bunch cut
loose. We waited a few minutes and
then piled into an army truck, and
Y. NJ c. A. man showed us some Of
the city We saw the Eiffel tower,
$50 feet higher than the Woodwork
building, and at this time the top was
hidden in mist There is wireless
apparatus constructed on this tower,
making it the strongest tower in the
world. The big Ferris wheel is short
distance from this tower. We then
went past the gardens, the biggest
square without exception. 1t has many
beautiful statues, of marble and metal.
We went over Alexander's bridge and
past other monuments, and also saw
the tomb of Napoleon. After we were
near frozen they took us to Y. M. c.
A. that was once French home. From
here l sent some cards to you, al
though you may never get them.
Here the bunch separated, except
three Of us, and We started out alone.
That night we got a good meal for Is
centimes, or about Is cents.
We slept in a warm room and nice
bed for nothing. The next day we
went sightseeing again. wish my
grandmother could have seen the
Seine river lined with French man
sions and arched with the most beau
tiful bridges. You think the Al. Ring
ling theater is beautiful-you ought to
see one of the French theaters. We
saw the Arch of Triumph, the two ex-
hibition building. We also saw the.
place where the French used to be-
head the people. There is a pipe lead
ing to the Seine river to carry away
the large quantities of blood. Near
here my two friends and myself had
our pictures taken and they a-e now
on sale in Paris.
l think l Will take time here to
mention a German tank captured by,
the Americans. 1t was full Of bull
let holes.
That night we started for BTest on
a Spectacular. The car was as COM
Portable as one could ask for. We
arrived in Brest the following morn
ing at 1920 a tired and happy bunch.
The president came on board sat II
o'clock. The ship steamed out of the
harbor with the New Mexico ahead
as an escort and four destroyers.
When we reached the Azores the four
destroyers from Brest left us and four
from the naval station on the Azores
took their place. The next day the
New Mexico broke down and she and
the destroyers pulled into port in
Spain. For two days We were then
ocno,.t until We nicxad I'M