Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-05-28
Germany and the Germans.

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Germany and the Germans.
! An American traveller, accustomed as he
is to the gigantic proportions and large
featured physiognomy of lis native country
with its nsjestic rivers and boandless
prairies--its noble forests and sublime cat.
aracts-fnds it exceedingly difficult to
shorten the axis Of his vision sufficiently to
take in the pecuiiarities of a German land
scape. There is DO grandeur of outline or
freedom OF sweep. All is as stiff and art-
fetal as il one Of their omnipresent wind
mills had been put into a straight jacket
and tricked out in highly.starched stand
ing collar If, however, nature has done
less Tor German scenery than American,
man has done more. You see no fal len tim
Der, unsightly stumps, and worm fences -
The whole country, with the exception OF
few black and desolate moors, is as high
Iy cultivated as a garden. There is neither
fence nor hedge, nor does there appear to
be any need OF any, for nothing is permitted
to run at large either in town or county
Mos, of the outdoor labor appears to be done
by the women. They may be seen working
in the fields everywhere-some reaping and
moving. others rakng and binding, while
the pater famiLids of the household may be
seen either reclining in the shade sme king
his pipe, or perchance watching iavorite
COW, lest she may transgress the bounds Of
her little meadow patch of ten by twelve. ]
haua xuif
load of hay upon her head, a child in one
arm, and the implements of the harvest field
in the ther, driving before her to their res
pective quarters the whole barn yard frater-
nifty; while her loving spouse has been Sit
ting in the doorway OF his little cottage,
ready to welcome her on her return. She,
poor soul, doubtless consoled herself with
the thought, which l almost inroluntarily
expressed in language,
'.'Tis sweet know there is eye will mark
Our coming, and look brighter when Come"
| One cannot fail to notice, in travelling
through Germany and Switzerland, the close
proximity OF the barn yard to the DWELLING
house. In fact, the members of the family
and the denizens OF the stable frequently
nd shelter beneath the same roof, while
growing cocks aud lowing cattle, barking
dogs and braring donkeys, vie with each
othe. and W ith The children in keeping up
kind of universal concert. But this is not
its mos, serious aspect. This TACT, | think,
will account in great degree for The prev
aence, in various localities of Switzerland
and Germany, of cre!iniSm and the soitrs,
Tor which Ro satisfactory cause has yet been
assigned. SLme have ascribed it TO the
constant use OF snow water, others to the
use of wafer impregnated with calcerous
earth, but without good reason in either
case | am strongly inclined to think that
the effluvis arising lTom huge stacks OF COM
post, sheltered they are in those deep
Alpine valleys from fresh currents OF air,
and wrought up into high state of decom-
position by the direct rays of burning sun,
is. to say the least, Que predisPosing cause
of these distressing diseases .s-.
GERMAN HsTELs
Are inferior to those OF our own larger cities
In fact, saw none in Europe. with the ex-
cep!ion Of those OF Naples and Paris, that
would compare with the Metropolitan OF
ST. Nicholas of New York. You are ad-
mltted by the por,asr, who is very differ
ent person irt nj our porter, ard Immediately
conducted 10 your apsrtments. These are
y neraily we'll furnished, with the exception
OF being destitute OF carpets, which, to an
Americans idea OF comiort, seems almost
SINE qua non. A traveller may make the
tour OF Europe without seeing a single car
pet. Even in Brussels, the city of Carpets,
his feet will press carpetless floor. As a
kind OF compromise, 1t may be as an im-
| provelpent, the fivors are laid in mosaic.-
But German beG, how shall describe
that! 1t is narrow wooden box, open at
the top, designed only tor one person, and
scarcely large enough Tor that. The pillows,
on the contrary, are oil almost fabulous pro-
PORTIONS, reaching nearly halt way down TO
the ieet, SO that 1t is barely possible TO as
sumo any other position than that of an an
gle of 45 :. A light feather bed, Or tick
Ut cider down, supplies the place of quilts
and counterpanes, generating enough heat
in the summertime to suffucate salaman-
der. Coleriuge once dec ared, that he would
rather carry his blanket about him aud sleep
like wild lndian than to take up his quar-
i,rs tor the night in one of those German
beds. esq
The traveller pays so much for his room,
and can take his meals when and where he
pieases. Ii these are taken at the hotel,
he orders what he desires and pays for just
what he orders. Should he dine at the
liable d'hote, however, 1t is different. Dinner
10 the Only meal at which all the guests of
the hotel meet at the same table. II is fire.
quented by both ladies and gentlemen, md
persons ot all ranks, from grand dukes and
princes dow inward. The courses at table
are very numerous, not unrequently MS
many a, twenty. You commence with
pmte OF soup and finish with dish of tooth
picks. AS only single urlicle oil food,
whether animai or vegetable, comes on at
time, aud is hot removed till all who par
take OF it are through, the time spent al
dinner generally varies from an honr and
halt tu'two hours. A very convenient prac-
tice prevails OF striking your glass when
you want attendance at table, instead OF our
lung periliug, ear.splitling exereise Of call
ing the "waiter."