Burlington tri-weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1852-1855, 1855-05-25
From the Ohio Farmer.
THE PILGRIMS OF THE RHINE,
BY COL. s. d. HARRIS.

THE PILGRIMS OF THE RHINE.
BY COL. s. d. HARRIS.
The thunders of Monterey, and San Juan
and Chapultepec; were hushed to silence, and
our poor fellows had returned from the vic
torious fields of Mexico, damaged in habits,
and damaged in health, to demonstrate how
hollow is the glory of war. cast away my
helmit, and gold laced garments, and hung
my useless blade in dark closet, while my
leathern gauntlets were introduced to the
helve of the winter woodsman's axe, and my
spurs used only to teach good carriage to a
refractory roadster. The war-spirit was sat
ed, and the men turned their thoughts again
to the excellence of peace.
In the spring of 1851, the great cynosure
Of all eyes, was the Crystal Palace in Hyde
Park; and good many of our American peo-
pie being dazzled with the promise Of such q
bright star, turned their faces eastward, for
the first time in their lives, and determined
to 60 on pilgrimage to the shrines of Roy
atty, to read this new riddle of consery ative
progression.
Our little party had seen all the wonders
Of the Crystal Palace and macy other of the
lions about London, Windsor, and we deter
mined upon n trip up the Rhine, to see how
that would compare with the Hudson, the St.
Lawrence or our own beautiful Ohio; which
we had so often admired in the beauty Of
Spring, and the glory Of Autumn, as We float
ed between double panorama Of magnii-
cence and grandeur on either bank; and where
the seats are al free-save and except the
steamboat fare-not to editors only, but to
every soul on board who had an eye to see by
how much the living world is more glorious
than any picture which csn be put on can
vas.
We had proce ded up the Rhine on,v as
far as Coblentz and concluded to stop a few
days and ruralise, till the steamer came down
from Mayence to take us on it's return passage.
Ncttie and Kate wanted to visit the vine
yards back from the river, so | set ont with
them, one morning, and after clambering over
the rocky sleeps, upon which stands the cas-
tie OF Ehrenbreitstein, we strayed back for
few miles among the most lovely slopiog hill
sides, such as We get glimpses Of below
brockville, on the st. Lawrence, or ut New
burg and above, on the Hudson, or, what is
equally lovely, almost every mile on the Ohio,
from Wheeling to Cairo.
Nettie was much taken with the little cab
ms OF the VigDerone, and declared, as she
had on'y seen high life in London, she would
take peep into the little life of Germany,
and give an airing to what she could reme1.
Der of the lessons of Herr Schmidt, of the
Seminary.
There were dozen Of these cottages, at
the foot of hill, the sides of which were all
covered with grape-vines, belonging to Bar
on D., where most of the men and NO.
men were busy, with clumsy hoes, working
in the mellow soil, or with strips Of mating.
tying up the truant vinns.
Our walk had made us thirsty, and we
stopped at the door of the cottage. and ask
ed for ,cdsser. The good Frau had sickly-
looking child in her armes, which she was
going to deposit upon blanket, on the earth
floor of the hut, while che brought the water.
when Nettie held out her hands and said.
" Gieb das mir" The pale woman smiled.
as she laid the baby in Nettie's lap, who had
by this time seated herself on a stool inside
the doorway. Then the woman fastened to
supply us ON spring which dubbed up
just back OF the hamlet, which she did with
such good will, that we felt, though VIC had
been born 50 far apart, yet We were already
friends-so mysterious is the unseen bond
which unites in one, all who feel the paterni-
ty OF one common God, and the sympathy Of
Of universal brotherhood.
Already VIE were not only friends, but con-
fid,nts; for when the good Frau learned that
we were Americans, she told US that her
brother was in America, and that he had spo
ken so favorably of the country, 10 his letters,
that several families were only waiting the
means to go, and try their fortunes, where
De told them they could soon earn q house
and land of their own, and be their own mas.
;ers, instead Of paying such high rent and
always living on the lands of the rich, and be.
ng obliged to do their bidding. She said
her husbands name was Gottfried Schillera
The feared it would almost break his heart to
cave his native SOL, since he had ALWAYS
ived on that Same dominion but it was on
J for the sake Of the children, of which thew
lad eight. and they did not konw what would
'ecome of them. with such poor prospect
'efore them; if their parents should be taken
addenly away, before they grew up to be able
0 take care Of themselves.
Then Gottfried came 10 from the VINEYARD.
nd we were soon on az good terms with him
9 with his friendly spouse. he asked great
aany questions about America, and how |
DOR man could get along here, and if the
makes would bite the children, if they chanc- |
to 60 out of doors, and If the wild men |
'ould come from the wood, and kill the wo- |
Zen, and carry off the children to roast for
feast.