The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-06-15
OUR YANKEE ON THE CONTINENT


CoNNsTATT, Germany, May Is, 1871.
We improved the day to examine eve.
ry thing of interest in the city of Stras-
bourg in company with the travelling
friends of Mr.. French, lady and a gen.
tleman from Boston, but spending a year
in Germany. and who had just returned
with him from the battlefelds of Metz
and Saarbucken. The astronomical
clock mentioned in our last letter was
an object of great interest and would
require page to describe it, and then
fail to give comprehensive idea of it.
It exhibits on one dial the hour of the
day, and on another the relative distances
from the sun and magnitudes, as far as
practicable, of the planets, their different
| phases, eclipses, etc, being complete
orrery of the most elaborate workman.
ship. The quarter hours are struck by
figures representing Childhood, Youth
Manhood end Ole Age and Death strikes
the hours at the close Of the four periods
of life while one of the little genii turns
the hour-glass, indicating that the sands
of life have run out. An image of the
Saviour3stands on a little platform six or
eight feet above these figures, and the
moment the hour of twelve has been
struck, the twelve apostles pass before
him, each in turn bowling in salutation,
while the Saviour lifts his hand to bless
them. While this procession moves in
slow and solemn step, cock perched on
lofty turret, flaps his wings, arches his
neck and crows three times, his
voice and manner being an almost per
feet imitation of the bird. The whole
clock occupies space about twenty five
feet in width, and height of thirty
| feet-was constructed about three hun
dred years ago. and is situated on the
floor in small siGe chapel adjoining the
main apartment of the cathedral A
crowd of more than one hundred mad
assrn4bled at twelve o'clock to witne y the
phenomena the day we were there. The
tower contains another clock of gigantic
dimensions and exquisite workmanship,
which strikes the hours on the bells of
the spire.
The church of st. Thomas, (Protestant)
contains some beautiful monuments, and
also the embalmed bodies of the Count
of Nassau and his daughter, fourteen
years Of age which have been preserved
over four hundred years, and are exhibi-
ted in glass cases. The flesh has mold
cred away to some extent, about the face
and hands of the daughter, but the Count
is in state of good preservation. The
Notifications of the city are strong, but
undergoing some repairs of damages re-
ceived in the late bombardment 1t is
still held by the Prussians.
Having completed our rounds of the
city, Mr. F. and ourself proceeded to
Basic, in Switzerland, and within a mile
I of the boundaries Of France and Germa-
ny. It is situated on both banks of the
Rhine, the water of which is here of a
deep green, and the current very rapid.
The town contains population OF 45,-
900, but nothing Of much interest to
travellers. We were not able to gain adj
mittance to the old cathedral founded
A. D., 1910, and destroyed by fire and
earthquake two or three times and re-
built. The picture gallery near by con
tains some fine paintings,-met here sew
eral Americans. On Sunday we attended
church IN a Protestant chapel and listen
ed toa highly edifying discourse in Ger,
man. Q4D Ga8 15t @ ssts s9ats Ga.dj
In the after part Of the day, thinking
we could Learn, more,of he character oil
the people elsewhere;w took der schnell |
quo, on a back track for Baden Baden,
in Germany. The train was crowded by I
peasants, who seem TO attend mass in the
morning, and devote the remainder of
the day to pleasure as a holiday, travelling
from village 70 village, visiting friends,
&c, and ENJOYING themselves over their
lager in the beer gardens It is easy to
see from whence they derive their habits
which they carry with them to America,
and which have caused so. much opposi-
tion in Milwaukee and other places, Our
route lay through the Catholic portions