Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-12-19


A tourist IS an unusual sight here, and
therefore one finds the old heartiness and
simplicity Of German home-life in all its
purity. As it is one Of the court residences
of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg- Goiha, there
IS small, but intelligent and refined circle,
some of the members of which have Eu-
ropean reputation in their departments Of
science and art. Hansen, the astronomer,
and DIR. Petermann, the geographer, both
of whom reside here are also known in
America. Here came Barth last summer
to recruit from his African travels ;and most
of the explorers, of whose labors Perthes,
the renowned map-pHblisher, makes good
use, may BE- seen here from time to time.
Gerstacker, Bodcnstedt, tie author of the
Thousand and One DAYS in the Orient"
Gustav Freitag, Alexander Zeigler, and 9TH
er German authors, hoverabout here through
the summer, and in the neighboring village
of Friedrichsroda the brothers Grimm some
times make. their abode.
The home which German friendship has
provided for me here, is in entire harmony
with the character of the place. The lit
tie garden-house inhabited only by Brais-
ted and myself fronts on the avenue Of
lindens leading into the town, while the
rear oycrlooks a garden of three or four
acres in extent. It was built by one of the
Ministers of Duke Ernest II. in 1850, wheG
the French style infected Germany, and the
steep bulging 70, f and quaint windows of
the upper halfstory family remind one of
the chateaux of the time of Louis XIV
The same taste characterizes the garden
The house stands on a graveled terrace,
bordercd with flowers, whence flight of
stones steps, guarded by statues OF laughing
fauns, deScends to a second and broader
terrace, in the centre Of which is spacious
basin and fountain better than that in the
Park, for it plays day and night. Beyond
this, sloping arcade of the dwarf beech,
trained 50 as to form roof of shade, inl-
pervious to the sun. leads down to the gar
den. Still beyond. arc fower-bedi open to
the Summer warmth, pool edged with
flags and lilies, and groups of trees stud
ding the smooth sward on either side.
An arch of vines at the end of the gar
den-walk ushers you into the grove, where
a Pomona on her pedestal offers samples of
fruits which you need not expect to find for
1 have none other than the forest-trees here
fir, oak, ash, chestnut and beech. You
would not guess that the grove was so small.
Its winding foot-paths are led through the
tickest shade, and the brierV undergrowth
shoots up to shut out the patches Of gar
den which simmer through the lowest
boughs. In the center, under venerable
frs, stands hermitage of bark beside
fountain of delicious water, which is sur
mounted by a triangular block of sandstone,
erected by an extinct mason who once pos
sessed the property. This mason had more
money than learning; he put up the stone
as monument to hisancestors, and inscribed
thereon, as he supposed: "To my Venera-
bic Forefathers," but in fact, through his
"To my Venerable Trout"
(Forelen instead of Vorazern. Some one,
however, has since then engraved on the
three sides of the stone the following words
Of wisdom: aForget not Yesterday -aEn-
Joy Today Think upon Tomorrow"
At the end of the grove, on the frontier
of my domain, which is shut in By hedge
Of fir trees, is "The Dukes Tree" planted
by the hand of Ernest II. Although near
y hundred years old, the trunk is not
more than foot in diameter but the tree
IS branching and shady,and throws its boughs
over the rustic seat and stone table, where
upon nv friend and l sometimes lie on our
backs and smoke the pipe of meditation.-I
My friends garden adjoins mine, and there
IS no fence between us so that I can walk
from my hermitage directly into his stables
and inspect his thirty Stalled cows, and
his pens of high-born English swine. Be
yond our joint territory, rich banker has
his garden, aud his fountain, (which, by the
force of money, spouts ten feet higher than
mine) is pretty sight enough over the
hedge which divides US. His garden terfni-
mates in an artificial mound, covered with
tall pines and frs, which also has its historic
interest. Here the Court of Gotha, aping
The grand sentimental Stiffness of that of
France, played at pastoral life, and lords
and ladies, with satin ribbons on their crooks
and flowers in their hair, gave themselves
such names as Corydon, and Doris, and AL
exis, and Chloe, and tended sheep, and ate
,urds, and played flutes, and danced, and
sang, and looked languishingly and amo-
,ously at each other; but always returned
20 beer and sausages, cards and sandal, every
evening. They even built pastoral village
If thirteen houses, which has long since
and instituted q Court Of Love
IN the summit of the mound, where Phillis
vas tried for sighting the passion of Amyn-
or, or Florian fer his faithlessness to Melissa.
It is difficult, in our days, to imagine the
of such inefable absurdities.
Ny room, under the steep French roof of
he garden-house, was once the studio of
sculptor, to whose hand, believe, am in
lebted for the six thinly-clad statues which !
stand in my garden. The laughing fauns
ire jolly and good-humored enough, as
hey stand listening to the plash of the foun-
ain, but Venus Anadyomene, down in the
,rove, leaves one to infer that the artist did |
lot mingle in the most reputable society,"
50 oddly are things managed in this place
hat although 1 live just between the pal
ces of the reigning Duke and the Dowa-
,er Duchess, both within stones throw, / |
lear the noises of the farm-yard every /
morning, and am at this moment listening
n the neasurnd bnat of tho Aa;Is IN