, 1868-07-24
Extracts from DR.. Bellows Letters.
RRANoE AND PARIS.

It impossible to leave Paris or France
without an increased sense of the material
majesty Of the nation and country. The
American idea of France is derived too
much from English prejudices to be correct
aud We look at it too much in our rgeneration
through the feelings We have for its imme-
date government, to do justice to the per.
finanent character which belongs to the people,
and to appreciate the immense liberties and
privileges which have been slowly wrested
from the successive dynasties, and which no
regime dafes to invade. The industry Of the
country is so various, its ingenuity and
tastes so pre-eminent, and its resources so
rich and self-contained, that its wealth is
easily accounted for, and cannot be readily
diminished by bad government. But what
is most impressive is the union of longevity
with youth. Ages have stored up their ac-
emulation of riches in architecture, arts,
and public works. The country is teemine
With agricultural labor and experience. It's
wines, silks, and laces supply the world. Its
importations are light, and its expectations
enormous. Its people are sober, industrious
and saving. Life is reduced in all its econ,
omies TO a finished system. Waste or su-
/
perabundance is unknown, the people bear
the marks of general health, due to the
wisdom of their personal habits, the mix
ture of labor and leisure, their aptness for
recreation and their knowledge how limo,
Gently to miugle 10 social relaxatious. A
universal pride in their country and devo-
ton to its glory sustain the government in
constant improvements, and the people find
their freedom and happiness largely in the
provision made for their daily enjoyment of
outdoor life in the midst of public gardens,
abundant light and cheap music.
ZURICH AND LUcERNE.
The moment we struck Zurich we found
ourselves in this mighty current of summer
tourists and saw at once how deluged with
travellers the land was. Lucerne is even
more marked with this tide than Zurich. Its
quay, commanding one of the loveliest pros.
poets in the world, is wholly occupied BY
elegant hotels, crowded with guests. Its
waters swarm with graceful and swift steam
ers hurrying to and fro from village to
village, and ferrying this crowd of scenery
hunters to various points of interest along
these enchanting shores. Row-boats with
gaT awnings, keep up the appearance of an
endless r~SIy. DL -i-I-I 1t -
ming along the quay is the scene of constant
recontres between acquaintances, ignorant of
each others whereabouts, but seemingly not
more surprised to meet here than though it
we're in the streets of London or Paris. In
deed from every diligence or voiture in
Switzerland one catches bow from some
familiar face, and is hardly astonished if our
brother or next door neighbor opens the car
riage door as he aIights at a wayside inn.
What Paris is as city, Switzerland is as
country, the spectacular center of all pleas
ure-seekers.
PRAGUE.
Prague is as prosperous as a city ridden
by stupid priesthood and population, and
managed as an Austrian province, can be.
1t is divided between the rich and poor
like Bohemia itself, which has no middle
class. The land is owned by mobiles, or rich
proprietors, in immense sections, over which
are scattered set of miserable peasants, who
are a little better than the slaves of their
employers. Sometimes a Prince or Count
owns a territory of. hundred square miles,
and all the population upon it are really his
vassals. 1t is not strange that ten thousand
Bohemians have emigrated to America this
year. see them on the streets in wagons,
making their way 10 the depot en- route for
America. Poor as they are, if they can
only touch our shores with their last penny
in their hands, they are saved men Blessed
haven to population which all over Europe
is landless and forlorn, and to whom their
native soil offers no possible hope Of relief
from beggary and oppression. In Saxony l
met not one beggar. Bohemia swarms with
them.
AMSTERDAM.
Amsterdam is picturesque in a certain
sense. Its old gables, jutting forward and
breaking the horizon with their scolloped
fronts the circular shape of the streets the
mixture Of land and water; the cleaning
canals; the dark brick houses, with their
dark green doors, their large windows and
heavy iron stOops; the trees 10 the streets; ;
the arching bridges the charity girls on
various foundations, all in their distinctive
uniforms the numbering wagons the occa-
sional sledge-a carriage body on runners,
drawn by horse driven by man on foot,
who drops creased rag now and then before
the runners to lubricate their passage over
the pavement; the peasants in their gilded
bead ornaments and snowy caps; the sober
citizens, unsmiling but gracious and formally
polite-all give an air of much interest and
novelty to the city.
AN OLD FARMER of 20 years says "that
while much is said about the GOODNESS and
backwardness of the late Spring, we have
had backward seasons before. On May 8,
1872, snow fell to cover the ground. The
9Th of June, 1916, snow fell in Salem,
Massachusetts,, and in some parts of YER
mont it fell to the depth of II feet The
Summer of 1912 was very cold, and but
little corn was raised in New England. The
Summer of 1916 was remarkably cold; on
the 10th of August a severe frost occurred,
which entirely killed much Of the corn 10
New Hampshire, aud in September there
was heavy frost, which pretty much deS-
troyed the corn throughout all New England" :"