Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-12-08
Letter from john Beig-German life
and Customs-Fruit, Wine and Cider
Stock Fairs, Wonderful Clock.

The following letter is from our
well known former townsman, John
Beig, who removed to Germany this
year. His letter will be found high.
ly entertaining:
| Mr.. Cover Doubtless you have
thought it very strange that | have
not answered your kind letter Of the
3lst of July last, but it is no fault of
mine, as | have not been able to
write. Soon after my first letter to
you, | had the misfortune to have
very sore eyes, SO severe that | was
in danger of losing one of them and
have not yet recovered, and az
trouble never goes single handed"
a still greater calamity befeIl me, for
| am writing now with one eye tied
up and my left arm in bandage
| have rented part of q building
here, for term # 3 years, and / am
running butcher shop with saloon,
and | am doing we'll One day in
trying to get q piece of meat down
from the ceiling, which ID very high;
| lost my balance and fell into low
er met hook, tearing two cords clear
out of my left hand this hand be.
ing very much torn the doctors cut
the cords off | suffered terribly and
one or two stiff fingers will be the
consequence.
| DO not receive the Herald as reg
ularly as | used to, but it Is still a
welcome visitor. When il brought
me the news of the storm blowing
down your school house, my wife
and sat down and wept like chill
dren, but our sorrow has since been
modified by the more favorable ac-
counts as regards crops. The crops
III this vicinity turned out better than
they have for the last thirty years,
and as far as | can learn, il will be
year of abundance throughout Eu-
rope. Cover l often wished you
might be here for few days TO see
the country, for this is one of the
most beautiful spots on Gods earth,
and TO see Our fruit Wherever you
turned your eye there was nothing but
fruit, in such abundance that prunes
were sold AZ 80 TO 40 cts. per bushel,
apples, from Is to 20 cts, and pota-
toes from II TO 20 cts. 1t isremark
able that the potatoe rot has disap'
peared from here for the first time
since 1843, at least in this vicinity.
| They not only rotted, but the vines
used to die off in the middle Of sum-
mer: the coppery potatoe has not
got across the ocean yet.
Fine grape crop turned out larger
than ever and OF first quality, but a
great many of he grapes rotted on
account ot over ripencss, and heavy
lasting about q week. The grapes
were ripe the middle Of September.
but nobody is allowed to gather any,
except for table use, until the city
authorities prol ounce the ripe, and
then four days are set tor harvesting,
the first at such u mountain, the next
at another, and so on, the last even
ing is celebrated with q torchlight
procession, three bands of music at
tending and Urbanus, the man that
planted the first grape vine la this
place about 500 years ago, Is carried
III front; then follows company OF
wenzers, men who follow nothing
but grape culture, carrying wreaths
OF grapes, apples, pears, peas hes, APP
ricOts, and, IN iaci, everything this
climate brings forth. In the evening
there are ABOUT dozen balls gwen,
and old aud young JOIN in a general
Notification. The Germans are a
great people for fun, and | think that
Is one great reason why they are 50
easily governed, or rather mlsgovern
de; but, as human nature Is about he
same every W here, they keep growing
the whole year round about heavy
taxation, Tor the government de>
mauds its taxes every mouth. /
used to growl in America only when
December came round; the Amerl-
cans are generous enough to trust a
man whole year, 80 be don't growl
but once a year. The taxes on my
business are 20 silbergrashen per
month, Or SO 90 per Year, taking gold
ut Sl.40 for when gold is at 81 40,
an Amealcan greenback Is equal TO a
Prussian dollar.
have 3 600 gulder out on interest,
which is 81, 200 in American gold.
Whether | have to pay taxes on
that, | have not found out yet, nor
am | very ANXIOUS; the balance | have
invested in whiskey, wine and cider.
Of cider, | have 81 barrels, OF grape
wine, 10 barrels and the rest in whis-
key. A barrel OF cider costs me not
quite 81 90; grape wine, from Sll 30
TO Sl4 so, 40 gallons to the barrel
The profit on this business is smaller
here than in America, but still am
making o living and little more,
and for my part | would never think
of returning to America, but, as my
wife wishes to go after our lease is up,
: on account OF her parents and broth
srs and sisters, If God spares my life
| will crafty her and return TO
America III about three years. Some
of my German friends thought /
would not, or rather, could not, re
main long in Germany, because am
such plain spoken man, but they
were mistaken. tor | am allowed TO
discuss political questions as freely as
in America, only that | must leave
out the trimmings. People are pref
ty well informed here, about Ameri-
can matters. and have more conf
dence 10 the stability OF the govern
ment than a great many on the 9th
er side OF the ocean, and American
Bonds are the most sought for.
hope you have electedGrant; then all
will be well according 10 my humble
opinion All that America wants al
present is peace and al honest gov
, eminent.
There has been considerable talk
/, about war 10 Europe, but | can see
, no cause for war, except that France
wants to play the first fiddle; but l
Napolean ever comes TO Germany,
H.