Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-08-28

f ON the afternoon OF the 18TH, the Date
OF my last letter, we drove out from Gen
eva TO obtain view of Mont Blanc.
The height OF this mountain is over IA, 00O
feet, about ten times the height OF
Shade or Jacks mountains surrounding
your town. Its summit is covered with
, perpetual snow. On the road We took 10
reach the mountain we were shown the
chateau, or country place, occupied by
Josephine, the wife of Napoleon Bona
parte, after her divorce. More recently.
it was the residence of the notorious Lola
Monies. We also saw the chatf aux Of
Rothschild, Sir Robert Peel, and the inf
del Noltaire. On another we were shown
those of Lord Byron and the poet Schil-
ler
While in Geneva l visited the church
in which Calvin preached. 1t is a very
old building, part of it having been erect
Ell IN the 10th century. It belonged to
the Catholics before Calvin used il. |
saw the place he preached from. the can
opy which hung over his head. and sat
down In the chair he occupied in the pull
pit. The American Methodists. " no have
Conference IN this country. are bull ling
church here something like Henry
Ward Beecher's church OF BROOKLYN. with
two tiers OF galleries all around it, sun
daYschoOl rooms, and all modern conve-
nieuces.
( After a very pleasant ride from Geneva.
We arrived at Basle, where we put up at
hotel called "Trois Rois,n or the Three
Kings, and were given rooms fronting on
the tar-iamei River Rhine. We spent
but one day in Basle, seeing nothing
worthy of note, and then set out for May
ence. On our way to the latter place we
got view Of the famous Strasburg Cath
eirul, one of the noblest Gothic edifices
in Europe. The spire is the highest in
the world, about five hundred feet above
ground.
At MayenCe we saw but little of inter
est, and after short sojourn proceeded
10 Frankfort on the Main, where we
found fine park, and beautiful squares,
with bronze statuary of Goethe, Schiller
ana other German celebrities | was par
tI"uiarly struck with solid bronze group
of Ife-size figures of Gutenberg, Faust
and Schaeffer. We here visited the house
where the father of the ROthschiIds was
bDrn. and We're also shown the house in
which the inventor of printing, Guttcu-
berg, was born, as we'll as the place where
he made his first type and did his first
printing. The latter is two stories under
ground, where he was compelled to work
IN secret, so great was the persecution
against him and his discovery.
| was rather disappointed with our trip
down the Rhine. It's Worldwide celebrity
had 20 raised my expectations that | had
anticipated a continuous panorama Of en-
chanting scenery, but the reality fell far
below my precOnceived ideas. The couu-
try bordering on tie river is in many
places perfectly fiat and altogether barren
OF interest. True, there are many roman
tic points to be seen. but We have u num-
Der Of rivers in America equaIIing if not
. : rlg.i~ illrr this palE Ei,ruFAH ono
Perhaps the fact that we had unpleas-
ant weather detracted from our enjoy
ment and influenced our judgment, dur
ing this part of our trip. Now and then we
came upon bold, high rock, covered with
moss and short underground. Surmount-
ed by the ruins of an old castle, which
presented a scene Of rare beauty, and the
view of the Fortress Of CoblentZ was
really grand. The latter is a large and
imposing military work built on the top
Of high, steep rock, on the bank of the
river, just opposite the town of Coblentz,
with which ii is connected with bridge
OF boats.
The steamboats, Of the Rhine are mag
nificeut affairs. They are English boats
built Of iron, and are very fast. Each
one contains two powerful engines, and
Is capable of transporting a large number
of passengers. The accommodations are
excellent, and the meals sumptuous, al
though the diet Is decidedly German
Wine j. served in abundance, being used
instead of water. Many of the paSsen-
gers use 1t to excess, and on one occasion
the captain Of our boat ended his dinner
on the cabin floor.
At various points along the Rhine as
indeed in every part ofGermany in which
we have been, we saw women performing
the work of men, moving in the fields
aud laborlng upon the railroads. They
are a strong, brawny, muscular set, and
Notwithstanding their seeming hard con
dItion, look as if they Were contented
and happy.
Our next stopping place was Cologne.
Here we visited the establishment where
the celebrated toilet article, Eau de Co
logne," is manufactured. We could not
help thinking that a good quantity Of the
article, scattered on the streets and gut
ters, would improve the atmosphere and
help the sanitary condition of the town.
We also visited the Cathedral and other
points of interest.
While passing through the city we were
attracted by the sight of two large white
horses, carved out of wood, looking out
of the fOurth-story windows of an elegant
mansion. Our guide told US that many
years ago the house was inhabited by a
nobleman, whose wife died, rs was sup
posed, and was buried in a vault She
had a very precious ring on her finger.
which on of her servantmen coveted
He visited the vault for the purpose of
obtaining the ring, when, upon OPEN
ing the door, out stepped the woman her
self. The man fled in alright, while she
made her way to her former abode and
Knocked for admittance. The husband
wanted to know who it was. J-pon be
ing told he vowed that, if it were so. his
two white coach horses should walk into
his front door and jump out of the fourth
story window. The woman lived for
several years afterward but was never
known to smile, and employed all her
time in weaving linen. Such was the
story told us by our guide, and there were
the two white horses in wood to corrobo-
rate it.
As you will perceive by the date of this
letter, we are now in the city of Amster-
dam, fine old Dutch town. Like Ven
ice, this city is built upon piles. and is
lntersected by numerous canals. 1t is
situated below the level of the sea, and it
is said, were it not for the skillfnl man
agement of the suices and dykes, it might
be submerged at any moment. The streets
and houses Of the city, as well as the per
sons and habiliments of the people, are
all kept scrupulously clean. As we pass
ed along to-day, saw a woman cleaning
y 1