The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1870-02-17
LETTER FROM EUROPE.
81. PgTERnrRo, Russia. |
Jon. IL, 1870 I

1 have written Two or three letters 10
friends 81 or nesr Point Pleasant, and
ssch letter ends mo farther and farther
swayfrom the Uuiied srsies. My frsI
IVES, / lbiuk, 10 Mr. Minturn from Paris,
snd The second to Mr.. Gilmore from
Dresden. and COW this one fudS me
twelve or thirteen hundred miles from
stxopy, aWay - omoug the suavG Of
NIIhsn RosSia. getting some ideu Of
The way in which these fer Of EurOpeOns
live, prying into their customs and man
uorO. aud enjoying myself in the way
10 which The RuSSian passes his winter
season. By NO mesns tho least enjoy
able part Of my Trip this far wOS a few
weeks stay 10 Berlin, the great capital
city Of Prussia. spent my Christmas
holidays there in preference TO Ony other
city. ss l bad always herd 50 much Of
the pleasant way The Germans have Of
celebrating this time Of the gear. and l
wished to prove tAO fact BY observation.
Certainly they arc . wonderful people,
these Germans. They know how TO
turn such holidays TO the best advantage.
And indeed though one cauuO! bot con.
.denn some Of their pEscIieeS. /. e., their
sabbath breaking, beer drinking and
lhe like, some oftheir domestic and So
cisI customs are worthy 10 be patterned
alter. In the family where ! was stsy
ing in Berlin, great preparations were
made iot The coming Christmas time,
aud when the day did come great was
the rioicing. and greater sill was the
Christmas tree hung all over With pres
enls for the children Of the household and
lit up from top to bottom with Chinese
lsntsrn, and wax caadles without mum.
Der. To have a Christmas tree on the
05th Of December is as much q matter
Of course for the Germsu., as tits for a
New Englander TO cat turkey on Thanks
giving day; and SO strong hold have
these old customs token Of them, that
the msanest fireside NEST be SO decora.
ted. TIE streets Of that great city du.
ring holiday week we're filed 10 over
flowing with people, and 10 various parts
Of the town, on the I'rge squares and
up and down the wide streets, great fairs
we're continuOlly held 10 AceOmodsIe the
wants Ofths poorer class Ofthe cOnmu-
nifty.
While ! was 10 Berlin the Chinese En-.
basSy under tho leadership Of Minister
BmIinghsms was here and il was in.
tenssIy amusing TO see one Of these long
tailed CsIe.tisIs on the street. dressed in
his nStiODal costume, aud followed BY a
crowd Of wondering Germans.
Minister Burling hnme's mission. al.
though decried BY some Of the pOpers.
must lave considerable importance at.
tsched 10 il By these European powers,
for he has everywhere been received
with the greatest honor, aud has gono
on from one country to another sustain.
ing himself in The bigh position he start.
cd out with. ] was fortunate enough to
make the acquaintance Of his vile, meet.
ing her at the house Of Mr.. Bancroft,
United States Minister to Prussia.
On New Years day IL is Of course.
the duty ofan American 10 pay his re-
SpeulG 10 wbatevsr representative Of his
country he may be near, and so three or
four Of rs went on the LIST Of January
1870, and called on Nj. Bancroft; but l
did NOT think then that would have ~,
New Years days instead Of one asususl,
How is this, do you ask? you mus. re.
member that Lam 10 longer in Germany
but 10 Russia, and that according to the
method of rscouing time here, they are
twelve days bOhind Us. It was very
strange 10 le0ve Berlin in 1870 and ar.
rive at st. Petersburg in 1000. but it
worked an advantage for me, as Il gave
me tvo CHRISTMAS days instead Of one
Think Of living 10 . land where there is
such a difference not only 10 the hours
Of the day. but in The dale Of the day Of
The month, SO that If we're to head this
letter according to American time il
would rum o'clock P. NJ. January "a,
1870. but it according 10 the Russian, II
would be 8 O'Clock P. II January Ell.
1870. l came here amply provided
with Wsrm clothing Of ell kinds, fur coat
&c, bat have had little opportunity to
use them, ss it is a season Of remarkably
mild WsathOr-for Russia. This is hoV.
ever an advantage as far as l am cOu-
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