Oliver Otis Howard, Autobiography of Oliver Otis Howard, major general , United States army : volume 2

That evening we attended Dr. Beren's church (an Evangelical), and listened to a sermon in French of which I was not able to gather much because the clergyman spoke too rapidly for my American ears.

On June 17th we had a charming walk through the Bois de Boulogne. The groves, bright green and fresh in June, have been well preserved and the paths are as well kept as those in our New York Central Park. There is no better success anywhere in cultivating trees, shrubs, and flowers something akin to nature. We passed from this delightful park into cross streets, emerging at last into a broad boulevard which led us to Napoleon's “Arc de Triomphe.” When we had sufficiently fatigued ourselves with walking and studying heroic figures and historic inscriptions, we took a carriage and returned to our hotel.

One establishment that I frequently and hopefully visited was the American Exchange, at that time kept by Drexel, Harjes & Co. There I always met friends from America and gathered from New York papers items of news not procurable elsewhere. We naturally looked for letters and went away greatly disappointed when we found none from home. My wife, however, was very faithful to write something and send her letters with choice newspaper clippings by every mail.

My son went to the depot with me on June 21st, and as I was to go to Evreux, France, without him, he gave me pretty thorough instructions. The journey took three hours, and M. Chauvet, our friend, very kindly met me at the railroad station of his small city, and took me to his home. There I remained for six weeks. His family then consisted of himself, wife, and three daughters. The eldest was near sixteen.