New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-07-30
MRS. DORSEY Tells
OF life IN EUROPE
New Britain Woman Writes Of
France and Germany


daughter, Elizabeth. "a student at
the Central Junior High school: her
son Francis E. Dorsey. student at
son, Francis E. Dorsey. student at
the Connecticut Agricultural college
at Storrs, and her father, David
Dehm OF Greenwood street. are
on a visit In Germany. Mrs.
Dorsey writes daily account
Of the days happenings in chron-
illogical order to her husband,
James J. Dorsey. assistant secretary
and assistant treasurer of the H.
R. Walker Co.
Because of the fact that many
New Britain men are planning to at
tend the national convention Of the
American Legion In Paris in Oc-
tober. the account of living condi-
tons as Mrs. Dorsey has found
them in France and Germany,
makes an interesting document. The
New Britain party left home on
June II and expects to return on
September II. They are at present
visiting relatives in Germany.
Her letters in part follow, the
first being from Paris:
when we were on the platform
in Paris waiting for man to carry
our baggage man who spoke Ger
man started to talk to Dave and
Father He took us to a hotel near
by and said we could check our
baggage there till we knew where
we wanted to 60. Father and Dave
took a taxi to look up Fathers old
friend. Had father written he would
not have had to take that trip. We
were hungry. 1t was after one. We
left Havre at els and reached Paris
at 100. We saw a restaurant with
tables out on the sidewalk SO start
ed to sit down. as we did so, I said
we have no Franch money, Father
has it with him. A man who under
stood what I'd said asked me how
many francs I wanted for a dollar.
He gave me Fl. At the next table
was another young man who spoke.
English. He helped us in ordering
our eats. He also told us that taxi
service is the cheapest thing here.
He said We'll find it cheaper to use
a taxi for five than to pay trolley
or bus rates, We couldn't use a
trolley as we wouldn't know in
which direction to go, etc. Wherever
we wish to go we put it on paper,
hand 1t to a taxi driver. No ques-
tons are asked.
1.-THE first thing they gave us to
eat was bread by the yard. The
loaves are about yard long and
each one is given at least six inches
1t is about as thick as my wrist and
we'll baked When We were through
eating we walked back to the hotel
and there met Father and Dave.
They had already engaged two
rooms. When they reached the adj
dress they looked up a French wo-
man answered the door. They
couldn't understand her but man
overheard the conversation and he
could talk English so told Father
the friend he is looking for is dead
four years.
Then we looked at our rooms.
The place had been newly refurnish-
ed. Our bed is very comfortable
box spring same as we had in Phila-
delphia. The paper Is a very rich
dark red-the over Grapes match
the paper. We have wash bowl
with hot and cold water and also
sitz bath. Everything is very nice.
We are on a narrow cobble stone
street. The first night the heavy
wagons woke me up.
after clearing up we started on
tour OF inspection. We are CEN
trally located. First we looked up
the American bankers. They have
very large place. The clerks speak
English. Right along one sees Eng
fish Spoken on store windows. The
policemen who can speak English
wear an arm band marked English
spoken Where ever we go we meet
some one who speaks English or
German.
1--WE got 507.S0 francs for a $40
check. On the boat Father only got
440 francs. Aur room costs S5
francs. A good dinner costs us be-
tween so and so francs for the five.
One man has to order wine with
their meals or pay more. The man
who helped us select our eats told
us not to drink water-it wasn't
good. He didn't belong to the res
taurant. No one here drinks water
wine at every meal. Another thing
that seems strange to me-the cafes
are allowed to use half the side
walk for tables and chairs.
Talk about traffic-taxis here
| are as thick as flies. They all have
the old fashioned horn. Horse
| drawn vehicles have bells. It's a
japanese puzzle trying to cross
streets-you have to go in between
cars. I've just seen signals in use in
one section. There are enough po-
lcemen in the road but they just
stand there. I'm surprised they're
not knocked over. Once In a while
at an exceptionally busy corner
they direct traffic. Their club is