Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-09-25

T0NS-RATIONiL AND HEiLTnrUL Enjoy
NENT.


ToNS-R,TIONiL AND HEaLTnrUL Enjoy
wEyT
\ writer in the Albany Erarng Joarnql
gives the following picture of club life in
Germany. which Will be readily recognized
as graphic and correct by all who have
mingled with that peculiarly social and hap
py people Cont.,is;ed with club life in
America, il might be pronounced ''slow,"
but it must be admitted to be more rational,
healthfgl, and free from excess. Perhaps n
lesson Of better habits may be learned bv
good many from this short chapter
The property i owned by the club. and
i in charge Of man and bis wife who live
therein and who receive salary The wine
and beer are purchased Of the producers and
are charged to the keeper. who must render
an account Of all entrusted 10 his care. The
price Of the wine i fixed by the club, and
ranges from eight to fifteen groschens litrc.
a groschen l. about two and half cents,
and a litre little less than a quartz There are
a few brands of wine still more expensive,
but are very seldom drunk. Beer j. Two
and half ccats a li.re. From the street a
passage with a stone floor leads into the
garden, the rooms On either side being occu-
pied by the keeper and family The cellar
Is large, and iS, perhaps, the most import
ant apartment, for here Is stored the wine
ani beer, and without these there would
be no club. Thirty-hve thousand litrcS Of
Wine are consumed in wear, and during
the warm weather one hundred litreS Of beer
daily. Not every one that wishes can be
come 4 member, for instances arc not inlrc-
quent Of persons being 'backballed. The
entrance fee j. ten thalers, and the yearly
tax six thalcrs. a thaler being seventy
cents.) IL will lc seen that the expenses are
very light, when all the privileges are taken
into consideration. The cluh i open day
and night all the days Of the year. On the
second door arc different room~ where the
members sit. drink, smoke, play cards, etc.
There are also billiard tables, a bowling al
lev. piun1s. ctc, etc. The 'saal'-saioon-
Is the room Of the building. This apart
ment Is for state occasions. such a< concerts,
halls, etc. Herein is the party assembled
and gain j. the same scene repeated as in
the garden below Now lunches arc being
eaten. Ouc naturally expects coniections,
cream. etc. but. alas. we arc not in Ameri-
ca, but in land where swcetmeats are at
discount In the streets are no temptincly
arranged candy windows to attract the child
ren and draw from them their pennies. An
American wonders how mamma can keep
baby quiet without that universal remedy
sticks of candy. Is that lady with lavender
kids. sitting at the same table with you, eat
ing water ice2 No; she is eating buttered
bread and sausage, or some other cold
meat At first one does not admire the Gus
tom, but when that custom gives health and
natural red cheeks to the people, one Is
forced to admit its superiority. That young
gentleman and lady opposite have drunk two
litreS Of wine during the evening. This
seems rather a large quantity, yet those at
the other table have drunk more. The wine
is mild, still by this time there are many
cheeks whose color IS heightened, many
ewes whose luStre is increased, many tongues
whose ceerity is augmented. Now Is dull
care driven away no rejecting on the past,
no dreaming Of the future-all Is ooncentrat-
ed on the present. 'Sh-, Hush is heard
from different quarters; ah, the band has
commenced a favorite tune, and silence must
be maintained How still it is. The loud
beating Of ones heart almost seems out of
place, 50 quiet is the entire party. At the
conclusion Of the music. gentleman with 4
large lade which has been used to serve
wine from huge bowl mounts chair and
proposes three cheers and tiger in honor
of the musicians lie stands like leader
of an orchestra, giving measures to the cheers
bv the upilted lade. From the response
one infers that there are hut few weak lungs
in the partv'