Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-10-31
"waiis from Abroad--No. H.,

| Editors RHtlgRd Herald The recent
Intervention OF E0glsnd tetwen France
and Russia, In relation to tn, occups.
ton of the fortress OF Luxtuhurg, TO.
pether with the previous important his.
tory of this renowned fottifc,tiou, ex.
cited strong desire, before leaving
home, to know more If the locality and
peculiarities which had invested it with
so much OF Interest and anxiety to the
above warlike nations, Phat this desire
could so soon be gratifed was rot in my
most rambling imagination when last
hsd the pleasure Of seeing you Its &C
feasibility from Brussels decided most
promptly our dvs'!na'ion on leaving
this latter place, aud at 1880 p. M,
Juue 20, We ltff Ter railway for Luxem.
burg, via Namur, Arlon &C, The scenery
OF the country trsvrIsed ny Ire railway
is In many places exceedingly pictur.
esque and Interesting. The situation of
the fortress OF Nsmur, ~ seen by the
windiugs of the road, is very beautiful,
occupying as II does the summit OF n
high hill, at the base of which the rivers
Sambre and Mense ret In confluence.
The town Is also at the junction of the
rivers, and the prospective Of the river
valleys Is butirarely surpassed in beauty.
The grade of the railway Is in excess Of
any remember, and as 1t reaches the
summit OF the high hills, commanding
an almost unlimited expanse Of view,
one pays most willing tribute to the
skill and perscvering tfJrt by which
such successful results have been at
tanned. Luxemburg is reached at p.
r. IN, and very comfortable transient
house is found at the Hotel de Europe
The ride was severe on account of the
hest, and the coustq uent indisposition
OF one OF our party Of eight. But &
seat and attendant duty around our tea
table, "en.famillc" enabled us to take a
short rambIe upon The ramparts of the
| fertilization. These Immense works
have been rs u sealed book to the iuhab.
i,snts of the upper aud lower towns,
'-'->---'r- -,,,~s-"trv. withslandino
the upper town come cted with the fort
ress has gates, that were closed at night,
but very few OF the inhabitants had ever
crossed the port.cullis, and the only
guard on duty, as he was accosted by
the son OF "mine host" native. born
expressed the greatest anxiety for his
personal accountability, as we passed
from one point of observation TO an.
other, so recent and SO rigid had been
the regulations OF admission. The fort.
ress WAS undergoing apparent dismantling
operations according TO the decision OF
Eng glands arbitTatiUD) by the PIussian
| garrison troops. But the ordnance being
SO very light In calibre, and wholly in.
adequate, and not adapted to the power
full nature OF the works, we formed the
almost inevitable conclusion that the
good faith of Prussia would hardly sus-
tain Il very analytical examination, and
might be questioned whether it was
most active In the breach or observance
of the DEGREES Of arbitration. The even
ing twilight was BEAUTIFULLY impressive
upon the distant hills and deep gorges,
through which the iivers Petersburn
and Azette, In their silvered waters,
made the valleys of thu lower town and
country seem at interninable depths be.
| low US. The shrill whistle of the rail-
way locomotive announced its snake-like
windings around the hills, and with the
strong glare Of it's engine. light, the
belching forth of steam and smoke, and
its tracery of lights in the railway car
riages, made the black mass of the train
fgurative OF huge, crawling monster,
whose destiny was tie absorption and
destruction of humanity. Romance lost
Its power as this creation of mind and
utility re-echoed its shrill cries and con.
tinuous CHATTER, onward, upward and
around the sinuosities of It's well-defned
track and travel. Our guide was very
severe in his comments upon the Prus.
sian officers, who seemed to have adopted
every available way of making them.
selves odious. The commanding Gen.
eral was called "a first-class dog" He
required from all, civilians as well as
soldiers the military salute, and the ex.
preston OF the most marked Difference
to his presence and prestige; and when
the announcement OF the evacuation by
the Prusslans was made, and the gates
OF the fortress opened, it was as a day
OF emancipation from almost serfdom.
TO the Inhabitants. There were excep.
lions, most certainly, as many of the
uootilcers were deservedly popular. aud
many msiden's aspirations Of fame
and fortune were crushed by the depart
ure OF the garrison. The soldiers had
their friends, and the shop girls sought
more customers for their sympathies at
the doors than at the counters of their
places OF traffic. There WAC INIT faw