The Ordway new era., 1922-08-18
Mr.. Giffin, Dear sir;

l have made these hasty notes at
odd times, thinking you may use them
Some 1 have written in stations wait
ting for trains, sometimes waiting
for meals. You may find them hard
to decipher 1t is hard to put any
thrills or paper, but l thought the
dear home folks would be Interested.
1t is just fragrant of VIA I'd like
to tell. Perhaps I'll write ,ater of
Rome. This A. NJ, L sit where L
gaze on Veauvious smoking his pipe.
Fortunately he is doing it quietly but
constantly at it. l have no desire to
stay. l also look out on the beauti-
full bay, the waves splash the hotel
building. They will lull one to
sleep. 1 am due for a boat ride to
Naples this A. NJ. Came from AM
alfi yesterday, stayed at the hotel
where Longfellow spent his winters
and wrote his poem tmalfi. NY best
wishes to all my dear friends. THIS
is written from Sorrento, Italy, July
20.
1 can only write briefly as tour
of this kind means a strenuous life.
So many are coming to Europe THIS
year but many remain at home ard
TO them l must tell something OF the
sights so new to me-. France was
our landing place, after a six d lys
pleasant trip from New York. Be
fore landing we rested our eyes on
the islands where our fine cattle are
bred. Island of Guernsey especially,
Land looked good after six days of
water. l thought how different our
trip from that of our soldier boys.
Our boat was the Olympic and was
used as a transport in war times.
The Majestic preceded. Some of our
party was on it and witnessed bur
ial at sea, of a man who INDUCED in
moonshlne. On our boat passeng-
err became crazed from drink and was
handcuffed and put into the hospital
for treatment The trains to Paris
were not comfortable like ours. Par
is is so well known by our reading,
that | will say but little. 1t is Won
derfully clean city considering it is
one of the largest cities of the world
The French know how to appeal to
the eve. They have a sence OF
beauty, whether in arrangement OF
CITY or dining table. Streets run
in every direction, but always so
planned that it is pleasant vista
that greet5 the eye. Napoleon
Triumphal Arch built by him, COM
memorates his victories in center
from which many streets diverge. No
expense was spared. Sculptors OF
the world were at his command to
not only ornament but symbolic his
victories. Under the center OF this
arch is the grave of the Unknown
Soldier. Men pass it by barred heads.
There are always fresh flowers. L
could weary you and myself with de-
scriptions of Paris, its treasurers oil
art. especially at the Louvre, but L
will hasten on. Every where sculp-
lures and wonderful artistic arrange
ment.
The Grand Opera House occupying
| square mile, beauty every where.
Though so large city it is restful TO
the eve. Conformity without mon
otony. No sky scrapers like New
York. Beautiful bridges cover the
Seine, each commemorative OF some
event or triumph. Where the gull
otin did its work is now a statue
Paris abounds in these. One of these
was draped in mourning SO years af-
ter the defeat which cost the loss OF
Alsace to France. We saw the side
of the old Bastile, the prison where
innocent victims languished for
years. Because of the fall of the
Bastile, July 14th, is still celebrated
much as our celebration of July 4th.
The trip to Rheims from Paris and
return was 900 miles by auto. The
distance almost dissuaded me from
attempting it. but 1 wanted to see
where our brave soldier boys hao
gone and l feel we'll repaid for hav-
ing gone. Went first to Meuse, the
nearest point the Germans reached tc
Paris. Like all the villages, espec'
tally of Northern France, it is a clust
er of houses of the arfmers. There
is always a cathedral and these were
the targets for the Germans. A mon.
ument has been erected here to theii
own boys who never came back. The
ride was through very picturesque
country, along the side of the rivel
Marne for miles. Nature kindly Gov
ers the tracts of war desolation