The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-09
OUR GERMAN LETTER.

Pleasure Gardens-The Germans Ores
PespIe-Thoughts Of swecs Home-Ol
.ervatious Of a New OrIeanian Abroad.
European Correspondence Of the Bulletin
BERLIN, April IA, 1876.
Dear Buletin-The Germans are q grea
people for taking the air, and particularly o.
teot, so that when Sunday afternoon comes
and all classes are free to indulge in such Iii
tie recreations as the universal holiday pei
nits Of the promenades and gardens of
large city are sure to be filed with thronl
Of human beings out walking for pleasure
and exercise. Even when the weather i
threatening and disagreeable, the streets arr
usually crowded. and on . pleasant day, like
yesterday, the thoroughfares leading to the
public parks are jammed with vehicles md
foot passengers, al streaming outward like
the tide Of some great estuary Of theses, until
the shades Of evening begin to deepen
around, and then, like the turn Of the tide,
swsying back again to disperse to their thou
sand homes.
At four o'clock Inter den Linden was filed
with such stream Of people sweeping out
ward toward the Thirga,ten, great park
lying on the outskirts Of Berlin, where ample
walks and drives afford every opportunity for
the passive amusement Of taking the air, :"
and where acres and acres Of thickly wooded
timber land gives the semblance Of forest,
which is always . grateful light to the dwell
ers in . city. They have very good system
Of street cars in Berlin, though certainly not
80 good OF near so extensive rs ours in New
Orleans; but then we New Orleans people will
hardly admit that our street car system has its
equal in the world, and thus far have seen
nothing to change my personal convictions
on. that point, 80 that still hold that the old
Crescent City, with all the "banditt," etc..
IL ahead in that line.
Well, one Of these Berlin city railroads runs
directly through the Thiergarten from end to
end, distance of nearly two miles, SO that if
ono were to get tired Of "footing it, he could
ct lift back home on car. These cars are
very much like ours, except that there is
platform behind and conductor and two
horses. Many Of them also have an upper
story at half price, which is therefore very
popular. The lower story passengers pay
two groschen, q sum amounting to exactly
i've cents, irrespective of distance. There are
also numbers of omnibuses on the same plan,
and then thousands Of "drosches or cabs |
Of cheap kind, in which most Of the travel. |
ing about the city is done.
All these conveysnces 60 to make up part |
Of the animated scene on the great central
thoroughfare Of the park on Sunday afternoon,
and occasionally one sees the equipage of some
aristocrst dash by, with its hveried footman
and splendid horses, casting all the meaner
"turnouts" completely in the shade This
central avenue is direct continuation of I'm
ter den Linden, the end Of the street and the
beginning of the park being marked BY o
splendid archway, known as the Brandenbmqer
Thor Thor means simply gate), which tow
ers to an imposing height overhead, and is
with fine set of bronze figures
some NEUROLOGICAL character
mounted in chariot drawn by four prancing
steeds.
The German guide books say that there is
no finer gate in the world. but am not fully
prepared to accept this statement at par, nor
Cal. I conscientiously attempt to palm it of on
. credulous public, six thousand miles away;
but at any rate it is fine piece of art, and
shows very handsomely as one approaches in
either direction, particularly in the slanting
sunlight of evening, when its four archway1
IRE tinged with gold, and the dark forms Of
bronze above show clearly against the soft
blue Of the sky. As one energies on the outer
hide, he sees little distance to the right the
great monument erected by the nation to COM
their success in the late war. This
llso Is very grand and imposing structure,
ns,I Ah> HoI1ouu - V;cko~v ~rhcco -,s1l.l j
Iorm, with outstretched WINGS is seen to
hover upon its summit, never shows to better !;
than when her glittering and gigan-
10 form borrows additional luster from the :
YARN sunlight that evening throws full upon
he column. f.1ka va
Though this monument has been standing
low q good long time, it seems that the Ber-
in people never tire of studying and admiring
4 and all day it Is surrounded by crowds Of
people who gaze long and intently at the fine
1gure in relief, representing scenes from the 9
var, which adorn the four sides Of the base.
There il also popular theater in the park, 2
where great numbers of people pass Sunday y
,vening, according to the German idea Of !
low day of rest should be spent, and =
hough / am not prepared to take sides with =
labitual Sabbath-breakers, must confess .
hat think there might be q reasonable =
compromise effected between the two ex-
remes Of religious convictions on this point, !,
or / have noticed that in proportion as the !,
eventh day is strictly kept by pious people 9
n any city or community, in the same exag- :,
,eratsd proportion is it disregarded by the !! y
Kicked; and here in Germany, where the day
J looked upon as one to be devoted to
assive amusement, there is less Of crime, of
eathenism and vice, than in our own coun- :,
y, where such strict views are entertained
j regard to the matter; but it is to be hoped 4.
bot ime (which leveleth all things" will :.
'.cptually bring about the proper result. :,
Sunday afternoons certainly very pleasant !.
lme 10. Walking out and enjoying oneself in $ $
quiet Wy in Berlin, and at any rate there y
annot 90 mus, harm in strolling istlessly :,
trough the aye..,es Of great park and 5
musing onesel. wis; the study Of human !.
nimal nature, Is seen in nil.le souirrels that Il
cap and frolic fearlessly abo1s:5 The traas Il
hove. All through the pleasant y ads there
re little lakes, with rustic houses :. their
l. = Ia svpkn 1