Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-10-17
|FLUCTUATING PRICE OF MARK
PLAYS FRANKS WITH TOURIST
American Traveller Fin DIS
Himself $50 Richer at End
of an Enjoyable Tour of
Bavaria
BY GRANT GORDON

Copyright, 1927
C1ERBOURG, France, Oct. IA.
An American, who arrived here to-
day, has had a vacation in Germany,
which far from costing him money,
has left him with more than he had
when he started.
When he got off the boat he heard
that the mark was quoted at 1900
to the dollar. This was about twice
as much as when he left New York.
He made haste. in his delirious joy.
to convert $1,000 into marks, losing
no time, he set out the same night
for Bavariaa.
When he arrived in Rothenburg,
that charming old Bavarian city with
its glorious medieval architecture,
he began to wonder what he would
do with over two million marks. His
hotel informed him that the charge
| would be LOO marks per day, with
board included. He spent an even
ing wandering among the pictur-
esque little crooked streets Of the
ancient city, trying to think up a
scheme for spending his money in
the time at his disposal.
Rothenburg is not town Of lux.
urious cafes and all night dancing
palaces. The town closes up tighter
than fashionable shoe at about
$50 p. m.
Shortly after our friend had turn
ed in, he heard the rumble of a
high-powered motor, and, looking
out the window saw a party of
Americans in a Mercedes racing car,
with a German chauffeur. A hired
car, obviously. Here was the idea.
Automobiles were a luxury, even in
Germany.
The next morning he saw the no.
tel porter, that pompous whiskered
individual. with his gold-rimmed
spectacles and gold trimmed uni
form, was quick to respond to the
suggestion. He knew precisely
what our American friend wanted.
1t just happened that the chauffeur
of the ex-king Of Wurttemberg, Herr
Frey, was in town, with the 90
horsepower car that the king had
left behind. Herr Frey was sent
for and was happy to meet our
American friend, and speaking
through the porter as interpreter.
was ready to pilot him all over
Bavaria for 10000 marks a day
and board and lodging.
After lunch the next day they
started. They whizzed along the
German highways, stopping only for
meals. Nuremberg, Inglestadt and
| intermediate points were visited,
and each made to bring forth the
best it possessed for the delectation
Of the millionaire traveller. Munich
was reached and two days spent in
exploring the best it had to offer.
Then Augsburg. Here an alterca-
ton with some Of the natives result
ed in a warning from the police
that our dispendious American had
better leave Bavaria, and the sooner
the better for his health. Stepping
| on the gas. ex-king OF Wurtemberg
chauffeur looked at them contempt
Varian frontier at Ulm in incredia.
bly, short time.
| Don't forget" urged the Ameri-
can, by now respectful of Bavarian
law, "tht we must stop at the po-
| lice headquarters in Ul1n and get our
papers out in order.
The chauffeur looked at him pie-
| tyingly and said nothing. When
| they reached Uln1, the watchful Ba-
varian police were on the job. Other
cars, which seemed all to be full of
Americans, were lined up, and Of
1-CGIS WS10 pdSSpOl lS
| The ex-king of Wurttemberg's
chauffeur looked at them contemp-
ously. AS a group of police Off
GERS approached, he shouted some
thing that the American did not un-
derstand, and they saluted. The gas
was again stepped on, and the ca
shot forward.
At Stuttgarten our American dis
charged the chauffeur( paid him for
six days travel, with a stiff tip,
gathered up his suitcases full of
llnicknacks that he had bought for
his friends and relatives back home,
and entrained for Paris. Arriving
there, he discovered that he still
had 100000 marks in his pockets.
He had spent exactly 100000 marks
in his weeks holiday in Germany.
And as the remaining marks were
of no further use to him, he carried
them to bank and received precise
~ $1,000 or just $50 more than he
had paid for the 100000 marks
with which he started out because
Of a change in the exchange rate.
And today he is wondering who
in the world it is that has paid
him $50 for enjoying e. motor ride
through Bavaria.