San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-28
TOM MIX
ABROAD

.
great German assaults, resulting some
times in success, ultimately in fail
ure, bat destined, no matter what the
outcome, to make history and change
the face of the world.
That afternoon there was quite a
reception held at the hotel, and met
great many interesting people.
Among them was Leon Coeckelberg,
winner of the Gordon Bennett Bal
loon Race trophy in 1924. There,
too, / was presented with one of the
most splendid dogs 1 received Ia
months old Belgium police dog of the
Groendale strain. He is a moderate
ly large animal and completely black.
His hair is long and silky and he is
one of the prettiest animals I've ever
seen.
Toward its close, our tour was be-
coming a succession Of one night
stands and quick jumps. The morn
ing of April %, at 6 80 we were away
from Brussels, regretful we could not
stay longer to come to know it more
; thoroughly. Twenty-four hours later
we were in Berlin, after having Wis
tied two other cities and extended
quick greetings in several others. Ny
troupe was working well and fast. 1t
had the circus beat all hollow.
200 YEARS OLD
About o o'clock our train crossed
the Belgian border into Holland at
Dordrecht and we had our passports
stamped. A few moments later we
were in the station in Schiedam, Hoi'
land, where a tremendous delegation
was waiting to wave greeting. AS
the train drew to stop, gentle
man and his young son pressed their
way to my WINDOW and handed me a
package, which 1 list as one Of the
prize gifts of the trip.
Schiedam is the home Of famous
Holland gin, and the package / re,
ceived was quart bottle Of the stuff
200 years old. They call it Bols, per.
haps because it is guaranteed to bow
you over. Although, MS / have said
often enough, l don't drink, this was
not present to be returned with
thanks. Instead accepted it with
tears in my eyes, and with 1t parch-
ment scroll on which the gentleman's
small son, in English, had written q
poem dealing with Bols and with me.
| have that parchment framed and
hanging in my den now. Whether
the Bols is hidden away in my safe
is matter for me to know and the
prohibition authorities TO find out
The man who gave me the gin is
the proprietor Of the oldest Bols dis
tillcry in the world and this quart
had been kicking around in the dis
tillery cellar since the days when silk
, brooches and ruffled collars were part
of the worries Of life. Stuff of that
sort shouldn't be drunk, but, like a
little tin god, set up somewhere to
worship. 's''
HAPPY TO SEE HIM
After Schiedam our next stop wal
Rotterdam, where / left the train for
about 20 minutes. I gathered, from
the demonstration, that Rotterdam
was rather happy to see me. A wild,
cheering throng, sprinkled here and
there with young men dressed up III
the most flamboyant cowboy outfits.
greeted me as l stepped from my conf
partment. Across the width Of the
platform, and swung high on poles.
was a huge sign, proclamins quantity
In red letters: "Welcomc BE Tom
Mix to Holland" The little twist in
English was a pleasant tonic, for it
showed my friends had really extend
ed themselves TO make me feel happy
to be there. ] was.
With n group Of Holland cowboys
acting as sort of guard, Mrs. Mix,
Mrs. Forde and j made our way to
the reception Groom Of the station.
There we were met by a delegation
Of leading citizens who extended US
the freedom Of the city. As n crowd
packed around the station, kept back
by green-coated, steel-helmcted and
stalwart policemen, appeared mighty
determined. ] could hardly make use
Of their kind offer. So I simply
s thanked them and accepted for Mrs.
Mix the dozens Of wrcaths and bou.
quets pressed upon us.
A few minutes later, again in n
compartment in an Amsterdam-bound
train---the wrong cOmpa rtment,
might add, for the crowd became i'm |
mobile and we were lucky to get on
the train at alive left ROtterdam. |
Our section had become a flower bed, !
so many were the gifts showcred on
Mrs. Mix and Mrs. Fordc.
A two minute stop at the Hague |
and more flowers; the same thing at
Harlem, where our cameraman, a i
Bronx lad, became so excited he
wanted to catch the subway home.
and then-Amsterdam!
NOT BOASTFUL
II II seems to you that through |
these memoirs. so to speak, ] have
dwclt ovcrmuch on the receptions
to you that Tom Mix has been very
anxious to let you know how well
he was received in each place, no mat
ter Of how little interest it all may
be to read, please bear with me.
am not trying to impress you with n
torturing account of my travels; am
simply putting down my impressions,
and you might easily guess that /,
nothing more than n cowboy mistaken
for a motion picture actor, was GER
taiply impressed by the reception &C.
corded me.
am not being boastful. 1t is true
as the day is long that the greet
ings / received were as ] have writ
ten of them. II you had made the
trip with me you, too, would have
never got over it. From the Darspec
tive I now have cannot help but
believe Europeans trifle crazy. Else
they couldn't have turned out in thou
sands upon thousands to welcome me.
But ] shall pass briefly over my