The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-18
LIFE IN LEIPsIC.
A Glance Of Life ana Customs In
the Old Saxon City.


and tho Customs They Observe Droscha and
Droschka Observation-Disclosures
Enjoymens and Winter Sports-Lenons
in Cooking and Practice ofPatenos.
LEIPsIC, Dec. 20, 1871.
Generally Americans do not remain long in Leip.
$40. They stay perhaps day and o night; 60 TO
the theatre; drive to the old battle ground. which
scarcely any one can tell them where to and; look
at the houses where Schumann lived and where
Mendelssohn died; enter the old Thomas church,
say, SHOW very queerr' and then leave Leipsio
with light conviction tnat there Is not much to be
seen. II may be easily perceived that such gimpses
SUPERFICIAL and that In this city, as possibly in
all other places In Europe, the hotel views OF life
would take another shade OF color II drawn from
the everyday haunts Of the people, 1900
. shri+l Ali-af LEIPsIO "1nn ynaas
is antique, quaint mysterious. Leipsic Is q prob
lem to be studied, which Will prove q source Of
interest to the merchant, as we'll to the scholar
or the artist. Some people exclatm, ''Oh Lepsio Ii
80 cheerful and cleanl" They are perhaps, here on
q bright day. That Goethe should have called IL 4
"litte Paris" Is great wondermenr to me; indeed,
have tried for months to the force of the
comparison, and have failed. cannot think 1t o
cheerful place exactly on the contrary, is some
which seems rarely disturbed. 1t is seldom one
hears the children sing In the streets, or the
boys whistle; one never hears hand Or
gan except at fair time, and 1t Is only
then and upon great holidays that the city seems
lively. Yet there Is continually brisk, business
like motion In the main streets. and every day and
every night one sees the immense work horses and
wagons, that are almost deadly IN their weighty
aspect ana the drivers carry always long whips
which they use as though "the crack Of DOOM
were really at the end. One scarcely knows where
10 retreat, sometimes, In streets which in many
parts Of the city SO narrow that the pavement has
no room for TWO. But they drive on, all the same
ust as .naliaca ... .m.f
THE DROsCHKA DRIVERS
do, with an tmperturable gravity which has never
trace of anxiety. The word DrOschka ought to
be translated hack but drOschka can no more
convey the meaning OF a hack than It can OF an
easy carriage Everything on wheels that Is made
In Germany Is sure to be strong, huge or rather
ungainly. The seats In these droschkas ever 90
high and stiff, and generally covered with red
velvet, protected from dust Dy white Tides. Now.
In the cold weather the drivers are wrapped in
large fur coats, which have such immense collars
that they resemble comfortable bears. They are not
less funny to American eyes than those who drive
the sleighs IF ON round seat behind, In coupe.
With their long cloaks nearly touching the snow,
they clear the road with WHIPS which are long
and sound like the report Of gun. t..
.ef- ,Hrl.,r,, os CUSTOMS. s4 81
see extremely heavy loads drawn By men and
boys, and have noticed several times rosy checked
girl pushing behind some such cart-where the fell
low evidently had too hard work, without ever
looking back for "thank you" Americans may
come here in thousands; doubt II they could ever
anecr the manners aud customs. which seem as In.
fixed as the Rock OF Gibraltar. In many
respects Leipsic Is OF SO cosmopolitan as many OF
ono cannot easily decide whether the people are
one caSaot answer With osrtalniy But no place
can be more delightful for . worker at
on top Of the Clouds and not "b Be
much bothered about eatlng or drinking or ever
Win one provision Rowever-that he replies always
to the "SchGn Outen nsorgefs" OF old women on the
the friendly sAdieu" which one hears invariably,
upon leaving shopkeeper or friend; every where
except in the banks and the Post office. The cheer
mess OF that "Adteu" sends one on his way some.
times with rosy sun OF content around the heart,
and again It's seml-growl reacts upon pleasant
human nature This sort Of politeness Is observa-
BILE among the lowest classes, and, indeed the only
and Americans who don't trouble Themselves to be
polite without SUFFICIENT inducements
Extending all around stiu
walking place ana resting place for oil the smOth.
mer time was often vexed at heart because this
promenade was SO beautiful. There were exqusiteiy
arr ranged beds OF flowers, charming seats near
masses Of luxurious lllles, and shading the walks
were hun.reds OF linden trees hanging full OF the
m so wc not be bought IN
confess, regularly stole whenever branch dropped
low enough. TO the absolute horror Of my
a child even play with leaf, although 1t is inner.
emit In humanity to wish most that which Is denied.
lawns near the promenade; there are such pic.
turesque avenues and such unstinted freedom and
turned my feet nomeward over the dove haunted
BRIDGE which leads to dlngy court, and the worn
stairs to my floor. 0fA a.hf gt-
Or course, every one OF the one hundred and seven
thousand inhabitants live board in etages, and so
generally occupy the third story; poor nd&ers and
bachelors and students must sometimes mount |
houses nas does 04 not make eeI much Sur differences
and IN che moro modern shaped buildings outside |
!he Promenade that does not make much difference
People who need fresh air anu amusement must 90 |
TO the Promenade or the Rosenthal to get It. Coming
directly from New YORK these nign pointed roofs
lngly architectural and announcement" Cropping
ones way up and down stone stairs worn danger |
think OF dark stories made one wish for lantern;
made one finally to bless wax matches. thai, after |
even ionr flights Of stairs. After seriously getting !
used 70 little difficulties such as this, and |
gradually getting weaned from those indescriba.
bly, nice Injuries we have In America |
began to enjoy the quaint beauty OF the
surrounding roofs, which are filled with windows
In tine old market place they are striklngly |
picturesque, for, besides the ancient Court House. 4
there are blocks Of houses which are four and i've
hundred years old; They are gray, backened with
-A'' ' i Isifs IL is Is r H, OF LAsYaNrHs o
fne streets come together without particular \
order; the blocks are put up seemingly anywhere
and everywhere, and the dark, mysterious adurch.
ganga, lead In all directions The old Leipslcers
must have been lazy men. They were always saving
line and exercise by way OF these thorodghfares,