Litchfield enquirer., 1870-08-25
A YANKEE AMONG THE GERMANS SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FATHERLAND.

SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FATHERLAND.
 Somebody without a signature is writing for the New Bedford Mercury some very pleasant sketches of foreign travel, under the title of Wayside Gatherings in Flu rope" The writer in his last communica- tion gives these interesting sketches of life in Germany
 "The greater part of our time in Ger many was spent in the quiet, unpretending, yet pleasant town of Remscheid and here did we have good opportunities of studying German character. Remscheid is situated about thirty miles north of Cologne, and contains about thirteen thousand inhabi- tants. The town is very healthy. Its streets are kept scrupulously clean. All it's roads are in excellent condition, either paved with large square blocks of stone or macad amized. In the latter case the roads are hard and smooth, are not washed by the severest rain storms, neither does the great amount of heavy teaming wear ruts in them. The town contains several Lutheran churches, and one Catholic church, post. office, town hall, schoolhouses, two hotels, jail, schutzenfest hall and several other public buildings. The principal business is the manufacture of files, although the manufacture of tools, skates, saw blades, coffee mills, &c., is carried on to some ex- tent. There are in the town several facto- ries where file. making is carried on, each employing from sixty to one hundred hands and have quite a large amount of capital invested, Besides the large factories, there are many persons carrying on business in smaller way on their own account, and employing from four to twelve or fifteen hands. Women are engaged on some parts of the work. The greater part of the files made are bought up by two or three lead ing merchantile houses in the town. and by them exported to their branch houses in Boston, New York and Philadelphia, also sent by them to other cities In this country and in South America.
 "Remscheid is the terminus of the FL berfeld, Bremen and Remscheid Railroad Elberfeld is about twenty-two miles from Remscheid, and is what might be called 8 railroad centre, as many different roads centre there, which with their connections lead to all parts of Prussia.
 ''The Germans are very polite and easy to become acquainted with. For instance, enter railroad car an entire stranger, and within fifteen minutes you are chatting away like old friends. Germans do not ask impertinent questions, neither do they quiz you, but they do have peculiar way of ascertaining full as much of your affairs as you choose to impart. They think a great deal of Americans, speak highly of this country, and one can scarcely speak to a person that has not either some one of his family, or relative or dear friend in America.
 But they scarcely have any idea of the magnitude of this country, and they do ask queer uestions :; such as, Is America as large as Prussia and is the great Pacific Railroad (of which they have read great deaD as long as the railroad from Cologne to Berlin (about $50 miles,. And when these questions are answered and explain ed, they hold up their hands in astonish- ment. Others seem to think our cities are not far apart; it is all America, and per son residing in one city will of course know persons living in another city. For in- stance, was asked if knew family by the name of M. Thinking they refer red to an acquaintance in New Bedford, I replied in the affirmative, and stated that the elder M was dead, but the family yet resided in New Bedford. The next day there came to the house man and his wife who wanted to see the American stopping there. They told us they had heard we knew MT. M living in America, that he was brother of the lady, and had left Remscheid some twenty years before; they had heard but once from him by letter, and afterwards learned he was dead told them l. did know MT. M while he was living, but possibly they might refer to another person. Did your brother live in New Bedford ? I asked. No, he never lived in New Bedford, but you know Mir. M and he must be the man he did not live great way from your city. Where did he live 2 He lived in St. Louis, but you must have known him. I told them the distance between the two cities, that l had never been in St. Louis or had any acquaintance there, and their hopes were all dashed to the ground. I cheered them up, however. with the prom ise to take letters from them with me, and on my arrival home would forward them to the Mayor of St. Louis, and thus endeavor to find the family. That gave them new hopes. The letters were furnished me, and on my arrival home were forwarded as agreed. l am happy to state that my efforts were successful :; the M family in St. Louis was found, and after lapse of many years correspondence between the two fam flies is renewed. I lately received letters of thanks from both families. Both de- clare that they are deeply indebted to me for my kindness and perseverance in their behalf the letter from Remscheid stating that when they received the good news they laughed and cried for joy, and words cannot express their gratitude to me. and do not know how they can repay me but the fact that my efforts were successful, ,and through me the long silence of years is broken up, and the two families again know of each other, and can hear of the loved ones so far away. amply repays me; de- sire no other reward.
 "I have cited the above instances to show how little America is understood. I have my own ideas why this is so, but will not state them here. Twill state, however, that the cause of this cannot be attributed to ignorance, as the Germans are an intel igent people, and have excellent educa- tional facilities.
 have remarked that the Germans are very polite. No matter how slight and im- perfect your knowledge of the language may be, you are listened to with great pa tience. and then complimented upon the perfect manner in which you speak the German. While among friends your every want is studied, anticipated and supplied; you are not even allowed to black your ta< A.