The Cordova daily times., 1920-03-02

| . 1 of September 6, 1918, there was an unusual amount of hustle and 1 stir in the little town of Aubiere suburb of ClermOnt-Fe Ferrand. the capital of the department of Puyde- Dome, in one of the most historic re- gions of France-the ancient province | of Auvergne, says the Christian Sci ence Monitor. What was the occasion which produced all this early morning 1 excitement? Surely no call to battle or DO signal to go over the top, be- cause the actual horrors of the world war never extended into this sleepy corner of south-central France; and the American regiment quartered here l abOuts was merely passing through the last stages of it's preliminary 1 training prior to it's triumphant mo- ment of action upon the heights of the Mouse, which occurred during the | last days of the war
 It was the one hundred and sixth anniversary of the birth of the great Lafayette, and the regimental band of
 
 dred and Third heavy field artillery regiment had been invited to share with a few American army officers the honor of representing the Amer ican expeditionary forces-yes, the United States of America-at the birthplace and the early home of the great hero who aided so much in the work of winning it's independence as a nation. The last bandsman had re- turned from the early breakfast served in the village square of Aubiere, and with his instrument had joined the crowd already climbing into the huge army motor trucks drawn up before the bann.s billet
 As the first rays of the dawn ap- | peared and the procession of Aubiere's peasants commenced from the crooked ! alleyways of the town to the surround 1 ing fields and vineyards, the trucks moved out of the village and over the hill toward Clermont.
 After the brief ride through the thoroughfares of the city of Clermont- Ferrand, which was just awakening to the days activities, the bandsmen arrived at the commodious railway station where specially reserved cars on the morning train south awaited them. After the sun was up the train ambed out of Clermont and was soon making it's way leisurely through the colOrful Auvergne country.
 The Setting Supreme.
 The day proved to be perfect, warm, and clear; the views from the car windows were entrancing, and the "mademoiselles" tending the gates at each crossing waved their greetings to the groups of young Yankee sol diers which filled the windows of each compartment in the train. The land -scape was dotted here and there with Iathe picturesque red-roofed villages, gray stone church towers; the coun- tryside seemed to be an immense vine-. yard filled with endless acres of grapevines; and the mountain peaks, now extinct volcanoes, stood out in bold relief against the clear blue sky like sentinels. Occasionally an old castle ruin drowned upon the travellers from some Overhanging cliff or neigh boring hillside.
 After a ride of three hours, the train passed into the department of Haute Loire and made short stop at Brionde, where many gayly-dressed country folk with their lunch baskets boarded the cars. A few moments later, the train reached the little vil- lage of Paulhaguet, where the order sounded to detrain. After much hur- rying and scurrying about at the little way-statiOn. many vehicles of every sort and description were pressed into service for the transportation of the men to their destination. Some rode
 in autos, some in carriages. and bass tuba player with his immense in- strument was obliged to ride on the front seat of an Outlandish coupe, by the side of the driver. The horse was not feet-footed; and the tuba player reached the Chateau de Lafayette i nearly an hour later than the other bandsmen, who had watched the great bell of his brass horn dazzling in the suns rays, slowly making it's way up the mountain road several miles be- low.
 vs Fine Ride to Old Castle
 And what a ride it was! what su- perb scenery and glorious country, picturesque, mountainous! It seemed difficult to believe that land of such overwhelming beauty in summer could