Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1860-02-10
Correspondence Of the star & Chroniclel
From Student in EurOpe-NO. 6.
HEIDELBERG, Jan. 8, 1850.

By your leave, will in this and sue.
ceeding letters, endeavor TO relate some.
thing Of German home and student Gus
toms as they prevail in Heidelburg. No
attempt will be made at describing this
place, further than to say that in beauty
Of situation 1t is inferior TO very few towns
in Germany; that, in the summer season,
with It's hills covered with foliage, it's swift
little river, and glorious old castle-from
whose garden terraces aud towers cid "Fa-
thcr Rhine" is distinctly visible-it is a
perfect paradise; and that, even ia winter,
when the nils are bare or covered with
saow, it presents no triaing attractions
The climate is much like that of Central
Pennsylvauia-not marked, perhaps, by
the same extremes but here, as there, the
weather is subject to the most sudden
changes, and no oracle can predict, in the
evening, whether 1t will be cold or warm
IN the morning. \ week or two ago,
winter was here in its sterner form-the
sides Of the Gaisberg aud Uciligenberg
were white with snow, the Necker was
nearly frozen over, and all navigation sus-
pended. Then the river presented some
lively scenes, for, despite the cold winds
that came whistling down the narrow val
ley, scores Of lusty skaters disported them
selves each day Oh the ice. Ladies shared
III the amusement, being pushed about on
comfortable armchairs made for the pur-
pose. On the Sunday preceding Christ
mas, that part of the stream Immediately
beyond the Carl's Thor, q, the upper end
of the city, was covered with hundreds of
skaters, and the bank lined With lookers-on
Of every grade, from the humble peasantry
up to the titled aristocracy. The assem-
blage on the ice was equally miscellaneous
mechanics, shop-boys, students, and
gentlemen Of rank amusing themselves
while pretty misses of high fam
lily and great expectations were pushed
side by side with the ruddy y-cheeked bellies
Of the beer-houses. At present, the sun
shines brightly, the river is completely
the snow has left the mountains,
and the air has all the mildness of early
spring.
The Christmas holidays passed very
pleasantly in Heidelberg, and having had
sufficient indulgence, and eaten the fatted
goose aud bOundless sweetmeats, the peo-
pie are ouce more settling down to bust.
ness and study. The celebration of this
estival is here universal, and is looked
onward to with equal interest by old and
7ouug. For weeks before its arrival, pre-
,arations were going on in almost every
rouse, presents were being arranged, and
christmas was almost the sole topic of
As the time approached,
he shops began to be filed with the most
variety of toys and fancy articles;
he windows of the bookstores presented
attractions, in the way of
Inc engravings aud elegantly bound vol
imes aud for more than week, the mar
iet place resembled young grove, SO nu-
nerous were the '.Christmas trees" expos
ID tor sale. At that time, it was really
reat to walk thro' the long Hauptstrusse
nd look at the many beautiful things
With which the show-windows were crow
led.
In our own house, the good people had
Ong been busy preparing presents, the in
tree was in due time bought
nd brought lone, and the children were
n tip-toe with expectation. At last, the
yening of the 24;h came. For some
curs. one Of The rooms was kept locked,