Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-01

Miss Minerva S. Hepford, who is
believed now to be on her way from
canteen service overseas and who
will be warmly welcomed by her
associates in the teaching circles of
the Harrisburg schools has written
an interesting letter to friend
from which the following extracts
are taken:
Through letters from home. I've
learned that my letter to DIR. Hawes
was published in the Telegraph. In
it tried to tell something about the
work in the leave-area at Grenoble.
When the area was closed April 27,
reports showed that more than 30,-
600 men had been entertained by
the Y during the seven months of
activity at that place. There were.
besides, many other guests. And as
l intimated before this had earned
the reputation of having the best
wet canteen in France, of which we
were proud. / really wish you could
have visited us in Grenoble and
would have had the pleasure of
serving YOU.
After having served for period
of six months, 1 was granted a leave
of ten days, five of which were
spent travelling to and from Biarritz,
and hve in the city itself. Having
lived for months, simply surrounded
by the lofty, towering, French Alps,
1t was interesting to watch the vary
ing scenery and landscape on our
journey. Miss Weldon, of Newton,
Mass, was with me on the trip)
From Grenoble to Lyon there were
mountains in every direction. From
Lyon to Bordeaux we travelled
through the foothills of the Alps
and a gently rolling country. Bor-
deaux impressed me as being more
modern and western in its appear
ance than any other French city I've
seen. We stopped at the lovely Ho-
tel du France, and were very COM
Portable. On little sightseeing trip,
we saw the ruins of an old Roman
arena, and walked through one of
the most beautiful and picturesque
parks I've ever seen. In it, as in
the parks of Grenoble, the simple,
rustic. woodland air had been pre-
served. Here, as everywhere I've
gone, l saw the grandest trees. l
have always loved trees, and l never
enjoyed them more than l did on
my little journeys in France, this
| spring. There were also botanical
gardens in this park with a profus-
ion of flowers. Passing from Bor-
deaux on to Biarritz, we travelled
through a perfectly fiat country,
much of it reclaimed land. AS we
approached the south of France. We
could see miles and miles away,
the snow-covered Pyrenees, glisten-
ing in sunlight against a wondrous
blue sky.
"Biarritz, the famous seaside re-
sort, is so well known l scarcely
need say anything about it, except
| how very much l enjoyed being
there. OF course it cannot compare
with our own Atlantic City. Biarritz
has a very small bathing beach and
| a short cement walk. But the sun
sets were gorgeous, and L certainly
did appreciate the western hori-
| zon at the Seashore. There are sew
eral fine large hotels, which enter
tain many royal visitors of Europe.
The Continental Hotel was built on
the site of a beautiful villa, built by
Napoleon for the Empress Eugene,
which was burned. In this hotel,
royalty is served on gold and silver
dishes. There is also famous
towerhouse in which an overambi-
tious Frenchman lived. He had
eleven wives. and as he stood on the
| stairway, about to welcome the
twelfth, he dropped dead. Biarritz
was also a leave-area and was full
of our khaki-clad men. All who
were sent there were to be congratu-
lated and they were surely having a
good time. We attended a fine a.
E. F. show here; the "Four-Point
Seven" also a concert played by
| band from the A. Z. F., in real
American fashion. One day was
] spent on an auto-trip through the
basque country of the Pyrenees, in
which lived a people who followed
the customs of two hundred years
ago. We snapped an old woman
about seventy, who was riding a
small donkey. She was so amazed
she slipped off, and we got her again
in another pose. We had wonder
full trip and returned to Grenoble
for our trunks on our way to Paris
for reassignment.
When we arrived in Paris we found
that the would be glad to send
any of it's personnel home who wish
ed to go. We also learned that the
entire A. Z. F. was to be out OF
France by the middle of July and
the next assignment would be for a
very short time. So we decided to
go home After being released by
the Paris office and getting all our
papers necessary for travelling we
were held three weeks in that city.
| had a splendid opportunity of see
ing all the places of interest again.
Indeed, it is advisable to Con my
mart it was necessary, visit such
places as the Louvre, with its wealth
of art, the Pantheon in which is
| exhibited the marvellous war pic
ture. the wonderful cathedrals, and
many other famous places, twice in
order to really appreciate them. 1t
was also a great thing to enjoy the
hospitality of the Y as a guest and
we were daily visitors at the Palais
de Glace in the mess line, and at
the entertainments. The is doing
simply wonderful things for our
men on leave in Paris. The trip to
Versailles during a whole afternoon
on which they visit the famous
| Palace of the Kings with a guide
without a cent of expense, is worth
mentioning. Also the lovely boat
trip on the Seine, going up and
down the river for miles, seeing all
| the places enroute, passing under
eighteen bridges. most of them hav-
| ing some historical association, and
visiting st. Cloud, the summer home
| of kings. And our men were GER
| tainly taking advantage of every
opportunity. My. what sight-seers
! they are. And always and every
| where it has been such a pleasure
to meet them and talk with them. 1t
has indeed been a fine privilege to
meet the young men from the North,
| East, South and West, each with his
pride in his own home section or
State. All of them are so worth