Leaving LePuy we arrived at St. Etienne at midnight, after a most perilous ride. A banquet had been planned at St. Etienne, but had been postponed. On the following day we visited the establishment of the Giron Brothers, ribbon manufacturers. This establishment dates back to the very early part of the Nineteenth century, and at present has two thousand employees, nearly all women. Its trade is largely with the United States. On account of the labor situation the factory is working only half time. The men are at war, the women in the munition plants and factories. Wage earners make four, and not to exceed five, francs per day and consider themselves well paid.
[Illustration: Monastery of St. Michael at Le Puy.]
We also visited the silk manufacturing plant of P. Staron, Jr. We saw here the most beautiful silks and brocades. Among other fine things were ribbons in the Fleur de Lis design, the national flower of France. On account of the war the employees at work were few.
Here we met Mr. Wm. H. Hunt, American consul and the last appointee of President McKinley before his untimely death.
At St. Etienne I went into a barbershop to get a shave, sat down in the chair, and a youth not over twelve years of age started to lather me. I supposed, of course, that he was getting me ready for the barber, who would soon appear; instead of that he proceeded with the work himself. He spoke a little English, telling me his father was in the army and he was running the business. He gave me one of the best shaves I received in France.
My next experience with the youth of France was with a boy chauffeur. Our military automobiles had disappeared for the time being and I engaged a taxicab.
[Illustration: Silk Tapestry Menu Used at Dinner to the Commission at St. Etienne.]
The boy who ran this was not over eleven or twelve years of age, but he did the work well.
On the evening of September 19th, we were given a banquet by the Chamber of Commerce at St. Etienne. It was a very successful affair. I met here Theodore Laurent, a prominent steel manufacturer whom I had met at Brussels in 1911, when the American Iron and Steel Institute made its famous visit to England and the continent. At this banquet we met also the prefect and other notables.