Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-08-02
A Prussian in America.

The Berlin Staatsburger Zeitung con.
tains the following amusing letter from
member of the Prussian band now in the
United States:
Our passage to America was agreea-
BILE. We had not to struggle either with
storms or too high billows. The sea-
sickness we drove into the ocean; let it
be buried there On the 10Th of June we
landed at Hoboken, where we we're re-
ceived by the municipal authorities with
music, singing, flags and firing of can
non, with hurrahs, hand-shaking and
embraces, so that the cordiality of the
reception almost turned our heads. and
we finally began 10 believe we had de-
livered America, without knowing it,
from some enemy or other The depu-
tation that bade us welcome appeared
in the uniform of Prussian officers, with
helmets and horsetails, and the musi-
clans wore Prussian caps. The only
things we missed we're the pretty maids
in white; but they omitted them solely
because many members Of our band are
married men, and reception by pretty
girls, the good people of Hoboken feared,
l don't remember how often they
played aud sang to us the Watch on
The Rhine" but l recall the fact that we
were escorted in the midst of them in
triumph by an Immense concourse of
people to the first hotel of the city, The
hands of beautiful ladies waved hand
kerchiefs from all the windows; they
threw to us fragrant nosegays and
wreaths, and some even threw kisses
but that you need not tell our wives and
sweethearts. But it was not until we
were seated at the breakfast table that
our hosts found out what havoc we Prus-
slams can make in charge; and splen-
did wines and champagne flowed here so
literally that we finally had to decline
them with thanks-and you know best
what that means in the case of men,
her of the Prussian band. In our graft
tude we would have gladly played for
the good people of Hoboken; but we
were absolutely unable to do so-the
mouthpieces finally could no longer find
the mouths.
If our reception in Hoboken was be-
wilderiRg, in Boston it was absolutely
mad. Imagine our triumphal entry into
Berlin after the war, aud you have some
thing like picture of our reception in
Boston. The French musicians, who in
1861 received the prize together with us,
did not even look at US. AT first we
were afraid they would burst with envy
in the street; but | think that their ply
sical constitution is, after all, quite
solid. At first we greeted them from
sheer pity; but the parlez-vouses passed
US like so many surly oxen. Allez-
youseHl" !" we said, and now we raise our
hands no longer to our caps. The Eng
lishmen, on the other hand, were our
best friends. The band, under Godfrey
leadership, plays splendidly. Il holds
but little intercourse with the French.
To enable us to accept all the invita-
tions we receive here from private citi-
zens, it would be necessary for the day
to contain nine times twenty-four hours
and the night twice as many.
As for the jubilee, to tell you the sober
truth, it is a tremendous, truly American
humbug We do not believe that the
persons who undertook il will make their
expenses. The Boston booksellers will
certainly do thriving business with the
little work, Deafness is Curable.
When We are done in Boston we shall
90 elsewhere; but where2 The gods
know, perhaps. We are overwhelmed
with invitations from all quarters, and
Saro has already seriously considered
whether, to comply with all demands,
he had not better send one Of us to
every city that wants us.
might write you good deal more, but
the heat here is nearly always fully
\" thirty carats, and one does not feel
like doing anything but drinking. The
beer is not good, and i would give the
whole French band for one keg Of Berlin
TiYoli beer on ieel rl.-- l