Sunday, July 1st.

Went to church twice, which was pretty good for a hardened sinner like me; and what is more I played the organ. I rather like that idea, coming over to Germany and playing the pipe-organ in the English Church, it sounds rather like a stunt, and I like stunts.

Got up at seven and with Grisnold and Watkinson, went out for trout. Got two little ones, which I threw back, but that is all. Day was bad; I got one big enough to keep, gut G hadn't even my luck. Played tennis in the afternoon. Chess in eve.

Loafed and read till five, then played tennis till seven. In the evening had my second game of chess with Miss Salmond.

Hotel Metropole, Langenschwalbach

I gave it in full because I thought it was duly earned, and the girls agree with me. We are in Germany, but I can't remember of having seen the Fourth honored in better or nicer shape than right here and today, and I wish our people would adopt Herr Herbstens program. We didn't have firecrackers and fireworks, tho' I think we'd have had the last, but for a rain in the evening, but music took the place of both.

When we waked this morning American flags were flying from a number of flagpoles, but the celebration didn't commence till dinner time, when, to the music of a Military band from Wiesbaden, we went in to dining room, and through an elaborate and long menu, on which American Names were plentiful. Half after two fund us still at table. When, at request of Herr H. we went into the Cafe and had coffee with him. The Am. Consul at Wiesbaden & whife being of the party. Herrh. and his stories beguiled the time till four, and, as he has known Emperors, Kings, princes, Dukes and other great ones of the earth, it was very interesting. Old Emperor Wilhelm, Napoleon III, Bismarch, Von Moltke, all these has he entertained and talked with.

Music, with American airs, mostly Sonas, all day; Kurkapelb and military bands each and all striving to do us honor.

Tennis in the afternoon till seven, then back to the hotel to dress for the evening. Supper too was quite elaborate and at the end while the band was stopping for a minute to gather breath for the next rung, one of the Am. guests, on behalf of the other Americans, made a speech thanking Herr Heabster and presenting him with a silver cigarette case (to warn the purchase of which we had all subscribed earlier in the day.) Then a singer, whom Herr h. had secured, entertained us, Mrs. Plieninger accompanying; and so ended the day.

And now one word to record the fact that a Prince of the House of Hohenzollean (I think that's correct), son of the Crown Prince, chose this day upon which to be born. Hurrah for the Fourth of July!.

Newspaper clipping attached to page:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
    FROM HERALD READERS,
All Good Americans Felt at Home on
  Independence Day at the Hotel
  Metropole, Langenschwalbach.

                         Hotel Metropole,
            Bad Langenschwalbach, July 6
EDITOR of NEW YORK HERALD:
The thanks of all good Americans visiting
Langenschwalbach  are due  Herr Herbester,
of  the Hotel  Metropole  and its various 
dependances,  for the manner in  which he 
observed Independence Day.A military band
from  Wiesbaden  was engaged  and  played 
during luncheon and dinner, as well as in
the afternoon  and  evening.  The  dining
rooms  were  beautifully  decorated  with
festoons of  cut flowers,  and  the Stars
and Stripes were, of  course, in evidence
inside and out. Two elaborate  meals were
served  to, and  enjoyed by, some  200 or
more  guest,  and  in  the  evening  Mme.
Pester-Prosky, of the Cologne Opera, sang
for us. All of us were thoroughly pleased,
and  hope to spend other "Fourths" at the
same place and in the same hands.
Among  the guests present were: the Land-
rath von Koeller and wife, the  Baron and
Baroness  von   Dungern,  of  Dehrn,  the 
United States Consul at Wiesbaden and Mrs.
Brewer,  Mrs.  Sommer and  many others of 
note.
Respectfully,                           O.

Two more quite uneventful days, partially retreved by the semi-scrap of my two little German tennis girls.

Grace and I took a run down to Wiesbaden in the forenoon, coming back by the same train we were on just three weeks lartier. We did some quick work but had a good time. In the afternoon I played tennis from three to five, made a flying leap for the church had choir practise and jumped back to the court for a game of tennis with Miss Sollman at six.

Played for service at eleven and again at six. Took tea with Mrs Plieningen and met her husband in the afternoon.

Played tennis with young Plieningen at ten and won two sets, 6-2 and 12-11. Grace and Bean went up for tea with Miss Groell and I played tennis with her at six. Stayed down in the reading room and had music in the evening.

Played five sets of tennis with a fellow named Ehliman and got done up in good shape (1-6, 2-6,3-6,1-6) But he's a young college man right in form and I culdn't expect much else, where I shine is playing with girls and German beginners. Loafed till five when I went down to the train to see Grace off For Frankfurt with Fau Von Vogrl. At six I played more tennis this time with Mrs Groll, whom I had no difficulty in beating. Saw a real live princess in the evening. The Baroness Von Dugeon gave a dinner party and at it had the aforesaid princess as well as countess and a few smaller fry.

Took the 1:03 train for Frankfurt arriving at about three o'clock. Went over to 14a Windmuhlstrasse where I found Grace. Franlen Vogel and Mr. Plieninger. Was told I had to spend the night there and go to the circus, so submitted as gracefully as might be.

At 8:20, leaving Grace in Fraukein Vagel's hands. I went back to Schnalbach to pack up, for we have decided to leave for Giessen. Played tennis with Hilda Plieninger at four and with Ehlimau at five. Had a chat with Fraukfiut over the phone in the evening.

Finished packing in the morning and at 1:03 Beany and I left for Giessen, whither Grace had preceded us, under escourt of Faulein Vogel. We arrived at 5:44 and found our wife glad to see us. The "Grasshurgog Von Hissin" wasn't a Waldorf Astoria, but it will do and the menu is good.

Giessen seems to be quite German; I have found one person who speaks English. The Oker Kellner at the Hotel says he does, but he is a big fraud and I think says it to hold his job, for I haven't found any indications of his really knowning anything of the language. So, the only one I have so far found is a kammesmadchen at the hotel she was in South Evanston for a year or so and really knows a little about it. So we seem to have really lost all tourists at last, and to have gotten out of their path.

The peasant women here present a fearful and wonderful sight. Their skirts are made of numerous yards of heavy black stuff, plaited accordion fashion at the belt and for some six inches, after that hanging full and cut off some three inches below the knee. Innocent of stays their bodies rise out of this inverted basket, their heads, with hair tightly plastered down, usually carrying some bundle.

I was rather amused yesterday at an exhibition of carelessness (?) on the part of a gatetender at a grade-crossing. As Bean and I came up he lowered the gates, we waited a couple of minutes, then he raised it a bit and let us through, and we got nearly two blocks before the train finally came. I suppose they don't lower them when the train is coming but when it is due, so if it is an hour or so late the gate will stay down all that hour.

Speaking of systems, there's a stream here in town that illustrates what Jerome says on the subject; it's run along just as straight as water can be led by man's hands, the banks are carefully graded and grassed over, and everything is as neat and precise as one could wish or ask for.

The older part of the town is exactly as one would imagine a real German town. I had almost gotten to think was German town on the "Midway" were faxes, but Isu I wronged the promoters, for if they'd only import a few sightseers here the resemblance would be perfect. But I don't suppose Giessen is trying to look like "Old Venna" or the "German Village" so they probably couldn't be indused to complete the resemblance. I must get some pictures here tho.