Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-10-20
COMM yNlO ATl0M3.
correspondence of the Keowee Courier.
GENEVA kurust 10 1ocn

NENh EVA, August lS, 1860.
:, NIX. IAoMPSoN--Dcar Sir: After long
slicnce send You few notes of an excursion
among tho Alps:
liavlng met with two of my countrymcu.
who, like myself, wanted to exchange tLc dull
routine OF books ard lectures for the varied
scenery OF themountains, [ left Heidelberg on
'ie lIth OF August, at the close of the s,,m
5 iner term, equipped with knarsack ON my.
pack ana an overcoat on my arm Our first
MAJ n"'' was at Carlsrube, the capitol of the Grand
cnpitvls IN Gcrmany, having been till latcly =
hunting seat, founded by a former Landrr,yc
who called this retreat in the midst of tic f,r
est, Charles Rest, { (Karls ruhc). 1t isl prct.
ty town with the streets all radiating like the
Spokcs of Il wheel from the Palace. which fer
inmates the view i'll every street The palnco
IS rathcran ordinary looking bu!ding but the
large garden or park near il is kent in fine
s!!y'r aud al!ordsa pleasant promenade to the
ct'zens. Among others is u very fine bronze
statue OF liERDER, the post there.
FROM CnrlSrulie two hours ride brought US
10 INC famous watcrlng'place, Baden. Baden
Win its hot springs, known aud used
tnrbit'lnS by the ancient Romans, who cs
t'nisnal,a colony here AMI c,llci it Ciyit,s
AureIia A1uensis. There are still remains of
ltoh'n art to he tonrd near here /; fornstance
HtarS 10 Neptune, Mercury and Juna Non
tnhH is said to kave been the special guardian
OF the place. Thctown is stnate,; in tA, 'y.f
ley OF the small river O,s, between two snurs
ot tile Black Forest Mountains. on coch of
winch are c'stles, in the places once occun;cd
by the ltomans for Notifications. The snrinos
thirteen In number, come out near cacl other
aud tho wateris conveyed in pipes to the vari.
Gus liJteis and bathing-houses without los;no
much OF its heat Thehottest are ,53o the
the coidest l5o, 'Fahrenhcit. Tho toyn moo,
PIE use it for scalding their pigs and pouItrv
inc nlnlh fountain has "A fine house built over
it,-and railing around it, inside of which arc
young ladies'. who hatd witor to all who come
TO DRINK The water hlsa salty, lisagreeablc
tlste, and is so warm one can only sip it like
hot coffee f-
IN the conversation house were great
many faslionibly dressed people, of both SEXES,
at the 9mbIing tlbles--thc "roulette" aud
rouge ct-nuir betting immense sums of
money nevtr saw suyh heaps of gold and
silver beEera. Oae of my Companions, IN or,
der to be in the fashion, threw down dollar
ana had the pleasure of seeing it rahed in,
ey the " sliycr7r9ke of the dealer [ was
almost glad he lost at once, nnd ouit for
~ w." ""ue tihSf NC WOtuu probably
have lost more. The players all looked ON in
silence, entirely absorbed in watching the
movements of the wheel or the dcsiing Of the
cards. No change Of features betrayed file
slightest emotions, either in I sing or winning
not word was spoken aud nothing was heard
save the elink of gold and silver. lagrec en-
entirely with NADINE LE YERrE that gam
bling is a pot passion with the Germans; it is
to them an actnl enjoyment, The agony of
suspehse--the near approach of ruin--the
raptnro OF Possession -.irc phases OF existence,
wild aud ecst'tic, They stir the dull CURRENT
oflife7z.shey. itinto icroc waves, which
bear away ON their tumultuous waters the stern
realltieS of the present the future and tho
past arc merged in tho dark tide. 1t Is a
Lette to the soul" s,
After looking at these thiiigs & few hours.
weagaip took the cars for Kehf, on the Rhine.
where we slept Next morning, August 10Th
Napoleon's birthday, We crossed oyof tho
Rhineon bridge Of boots to Strasburg, said
to DO the third city as to strength Of fortitca.
tions in France, gtFrisoned by many thousand
French soldiers The city was in holvdsy
dress, but We, had very little time to devote
- the festivities Of tlje day, most Of out
time being t,koa sr with the curiosities Sc
the place. The, eathcdral (NHinster) is won.
dcrfal picca Of arehiteotags; the spiFe is said
to be 40 feet high, inc highest III the world
Sn'l 1tcdt higher than the talleat pyramid
OF Egypts Tho astronomical clock there Is d,