Brewster 'A Glimpse of War through a Private's Eyes', a retrospective account of experiences in World War I, 1915-1917 / John James Brewster - Page 272
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[Page 272]
of mind, there is little doubt, that the River Clyde would prove so alluringly facinating, that he would almost be content to spend the bulk of his furlough in its neighbourhood.
The following day was spent in seeing the sights of Glasgow & in making a trip to the celebrated Loch Lomond, which is evidently a very much patronised pleasure resort in normal times. Like most Old Country Cities first impressions of Glasgow are rather disappointing. When thinking of famous Old World Cities one almost unconciously associates them with pictures of something huge stately & grand immediately on setting foot in them, so that if one is landed in an ordinary street, common place looking & narrow at that, naturally a sense of disappointment is created.
It is only after a fairly long acquaintance with their geography that the beauties which exist in all become known, & the feelings of disappointment gradually give way to those of appreciation. It takes some little time to realize their magnitude & importance.
As the time approached for his departure from Glasgow via Ardrossan for Belfast the Sentry had an intuition that he had better return from his own wandering to obtain some idea how his fellow traveller was faring, as both had wished to see as much of Glasgow as possible, from their own individual view points.
Having to leave by the 11 pm train, he reached his Hotel at 9 pm & upon going up to the office was awfully shocked to find the soldier standing in front of it, completely surrounded by nearly the whole of the Hotel Staff. He presented a pitiable sight. His Australian Slouch hat was adjusted on his head sideways, similar to the pictures of Napoleon, but in this instance the hat was slightly tilted, his arms were hanging loose, & his body lurched from side to side. An occasional dribbling fell from his mouth.