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order for passport to be issued by the Embassy. Many Americans were waiting for passports. The consul is an old gentleman who was very courteous to every one (fooled away to much time with it) but slow, - dreadfully slow. He slowly and deliberately filled out the blanks on a typewriter and made no progress. We finally gave it up to take a train for Thun. The next day is Sunday, and he already has a lot of left-overs for Monday, so we concluded to give it up for the present. 
We have just learn of an order prohibiting the taking of automobiles, horses and mules across the border (i.e. out of the country) on account of the mobilizations. Some Americans are caught with autos. One naturalized Swiss American from Nebraska is among them, - and he has no passport!
Mobilization has been ordered, and there is much excitement. Crowds are surging,

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soldiers appear everywhere, and horses and equipment crowd special trains. Added to this, banks are shaky, food has been bought up and stored, - in many cases the stores exhausted their supplies and long lines of customers, extending into the street, waited for a renewal of supplies. There is a promised rise in prices, - especially on living. All trains are delayed.
We finally left after 5 P.M. on a train due to leave at 4:30, and reached Thun in about half an hour.
We caught fine views of the Bernese Alps from Berne on.
We put up at the Schlosshotel Freinhof, which stands on the banks of one arm of the Aare in that part of Thun on the island.
We walked out along Aare towards the mountains, and I took photos 27 & 28.
At the hotel all male help was called into military service and even the chef had to go.