The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-06-11

| "AsA WhiSh u uOdluCu tuC dltCl
noon train at q little city out in Min
nesota. For / was setting out for my
nrst experience in Army life For
this incident occurred at time dur
ing the War just passed, when our
Allies Were backed to the wall and 1t
seemed that there could be but one
end to the struggle. The feeling /
nave alluded to was not due to a
physical fear, but to the condition OF
my mind tor / had always looked up
on life spent in the Army as one
utteriy>wasted, and even at that time
OF great sacrifices 1t seemed that for
me there should be some other place
where could serve. This feeling
ciung to me for months in spite of
my attempts to adapt myself to the
new life. In fact 1t was not until I
mad reached Europe that / began to
realize that there might be some
thlng worth while II l would but try
to see.
The first place of beauty and in
lerest that had occasion to see was
the city OF Edinburgh, Scotland, and
the surrounding country, and while
there are many other beautiful places
IN the world there is something par
llcuiarly fascinating about this city.
Inc combination of natural beauty
and historic as well as romantic In :
terest that has been given us by Sir
waiter Scott make us doubly interest
cd and We find ourselves quite un-
willing to leave until we have seen
an: Princes Street is said to compare
with the finest streets of Europe, and
as one passes down this broad
the one side end the sunken park on
the otner 1t is easy to believe that
this reputation is wen earned. And
looking beyond the park and further
up We see frowning down on us the
famous Castle Of Edinburgh.
also. spent considerable time in
Liverpool, and while there is very
little OF natural beauty Of historic in
terest here. there Is great deal to
engage the sight and mind of one who
Is interested in a life of commerce.
Inc docks at this port are the great
est In the world.
From Great Britain my next move
was to France, and IA those DAYS thai
meant to Brest. To mention the name
or that city to any one of the hun
oreds or thousands Of Americans who
passed through this place is to bring
before them vision of incessant
rams, bottomless mud and Fatigue. -
passed through that too, but since
then have I twice more entered the
harbor OF Brest and to me it Is one
or the most beautiful I have seen. II
mas been early morning when / have
entered the long narrow channel
tnat leads IN from the ocean and the
sun was shining gloriously upon the
sharp relief the dark green of the
landscape and the almost white of
the scattered villas and other build :
ings along the shore. The fortified
lions OF the Harbor also appear quite
impregnable and seem to emphasize
the peacefulness and quite of the city
that lies along the waters edge as
though it were a thing alive and
knew that it GOULD never be disturbed
by attack.
From Brest / went into the interior
OF France. stopping only q 1ittl time
at the most important places. Tours
ana surrounding country. particularly
the towns along the Lo.r in the De-
partment of Sartife. are very beauti :
full: to gaze down upon the whole of
this from height is to gain the i'm
preston that it ID one immense gar
Den, beautifully arranged and diligen-
thy cultivated. iInsTours, perhaps the
two most interesting places to the
visitor are the Cathedral and the
tower of the, Emperor Chalemagne.
The latter is still in excellent condi-
ton and from the roof one gets a
great panoramic view of the city.
The Cathedral contains some rare oil
paintings and, one especially. holds
our interest longer than the others,
1t is that of, Joan OF Arc, in memory
OF her triumphal entry into Tours
after her armies had been led to
victory. for it was to this church tat
sne came to- offer her prayers of
praise and gratitude.
1 also spent several weeks in ana
about the city of Chaumont, which as
everyone knows, was the General
Headquarters. for our Armies during
the latter part OF the World War.
us at this city but we can not forget
the part that our country played here
and / am sure that in the histories
that Will be read in the time to come
Dy the children of Chaumont, Sois-
sons. Neufchateau, Bar Duo and
other such towns, the name of Ameri-
ca will be linked very closely with
the events Of these towns.
FROM these somewhat remote parts
OF France | was next sent to Paris.
But can find no words with which to
express my admiration for this fair
city, with its beautiful boulevards
and the, wonderful works of art
and the many other attractions there
is no doubt no city SO beautiful in
the world.
My next duty sent me to Belgium
where / was stationed in the city of
Brussels. Again Il fail to find words
to do justice to the Impressions that
were gained here. It has been said
that Brussels is a small edition Of the
city OF Paris. and I believe that in
some respects 1t has the French Cap
ltol outclassed. About fifteen kilome-
tres from the city is the battle ground
or the historic Waterloo. One finds
there today the immense monument
that has been erected by the British,
the panoramic picture of the battle,
various other monuments and the
buildings that stood there at the time
of the battle. 1t was here that Napol-
con met his defeat at the hands Of
the English and German Generals
wellington and Butcher. We find our
selves quite interested in the rather
crude methods of warfare that were
employed at that time. And how many
or us know that because Of extremely
rainy weather Napoleon was unable
to bring his artillery within firing dis
lance OF the battle and thus lost? Such
was the case. At Malines halfway be-
tween Brussels and Antwerp one finds
the Cathedral from which Cardinal
Mervcier denounced the hordes OF
German troops that were pouring
across Belgium In the early days OF
a Il a ss S aos o sSss
Of Flanders. but little did I believe
that thew rroro auvfnfvx h,.t a myth