Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-07-08
EVENING STAR.
AY...........JuIy =. 1876.
FOR THE STAR.
SKETCHES FROM GERMAN LIFE.



berg royal post coach drew up before an out
OF the-way little railway station some five
hours journey from Heiloron TO take aboard
our party. II was q curious old vehicle,
cumorous, ponderous, and gorgeous enough
10 have belonged TO the middle ages. Tue
exterior like huge beetle was colored black
ald yellow and every available space en-
blazoned with the Wurtember coal OF arms.
The driver, hostler, and position in cores
ponolngly gorgeous livery hustled over the
preparatory details of the start with so much
importance that q stranger might easily
nave supposed that we were about TO set out
for Siberia. Indeed the storing away OF the
baggage looked decidedly like It. The big
box, bandoox, bag and bundle were strapped
and dashed down on top OF the coach sui a
huge rubber cloth buttoned down tightly
TO be called into requisition.
Inc coupe, interior and seats up with the
driver are the three accommodations afford
ed by the coaches. The coupe is decidedly
preferable, Tor being situated directly behind
The drivers seat you enjoy the extended
view without having the brisk mountain air
convert your attire into mapping sails. The
pleasure OF coupe ride though is materially
diminished by that terrible underta king of
getting in and out. You have TO mount 3
steep ladder of course. but all this would be
wei enough II the driver and position did
not persist in treating you like baggage
standing one on the TOP round 10 pull you
up and the other on the ground to push you
up or catch you should y..I fail. Tnere vas
prolonged stare when " a. made the request
10 be allowed to ascend unassisted, ani an
awkward silence while we scrambled up. AS
SOON as safely seated In the coupe
WE WERE INTERVIEWED.
The Nuremberg peasantry are remark
ably loquacious on all occasions, and as our
party seemed to excite some little curiosity
among the villagers standing around, an old
woman was sent TO investigate. She elm bed
hall way up the ladder, and In her strange
tchUdbtSh dialect began by asking the pre .
wharn " "a
from, where We were going, &C. Then sne
sought the desired informatton-"Buty you
Americans" "Ah, so, AmeIicansU'1and The
coupe door banged TO with a most cOuclu-
sive sis m as the old woman hoboled off to
spread TINS or OF gossip; individuals from
that little corner OF the world every day, so
there is no knowing what cross -examination
IL might nave been ours TO undergo had not
the horn sounded at that moment and the
great lum beTing vehicle began to move out
OF the village on TO the high read. Up hill
and down dale we journeyed the whole after
noon, over mile after mile of smooth white
roadway, across which the bordering
fruit trees threw such a pleasant cheauer-
ed shade. At one time on the top of
a high elevation we would gaze back
upon the road through the valley by which
we had come, and few minutes after, In the
lowlands again, would look up the serpentIne
winnings OF the path We must ascend. The
sunny slopes Of the hills were vine. clad, and
on them, as we'll as through the fields, were
groups OF busy workers. They were not ideal
Maud Mullers exactly, those hard worked,
square built women who gaZed after our
coach, but their peasant dress gave them d
picturesque appearance, and in some places
where we passed we heard them singing
such happy, rollicking peasant glees, On
the top OF a mill where we paused TO rest, q
comical little urchin, VINO, perched on a
fence rail, was drumming his heels and
singing for amusement, gave US quite a mu-
steal treat. You never would have supposed
from his appearance that he were capable of
such thing, but, with that unabaShed man
ner which characteriZes German peasantry
he did sot allow our presence to Interrupt
his song. At the end of every verse he "a ve
yodle, an exquisltely dainty little bit of
melody, rs clear and distinct IN all the rapid
twistlbgs ON The high notes as an Alpine
horn.
TUE POSITION
heralded our approach 10 every village by
energetic horn blowing. This, together wi "a
the barking OF dogs, cackling or poultry and
the laundering rumble of the coach on the
paved streets, aroused the little towns from
their afternoon drOwsiness. By the time we
would pause before the post Office for the
mail, half the village had run out for a
look, and the other nalf who had stayed at
home raised the windows. II was late in
the day when We reached our destination.
The cr1veT pointed IL out with his long whip
as we descended the mouutain-a Quaint n l.
tie village ing at the sloplDg base OF one
of the everlasting hills which surround il.
The BIRDS eye view formed a sweet and
peaceful picture with the RET rays OF the set
ting sun, J1st touching the old church tower
and the tiled roofs win their queer little at
tic windows, and then the beauty and Sc
renity OF the whole scene was intensified
when we recollected the long, long miles of
coach travel that lay between TINS little
spot and ali intercourse With the great out
side world.
The tired horses revived enough to rattle
up the village street with quite show OF
spirit. We passed under a great stone arch
way into courtyard, and there the journey
ended. A quite large though Juvenile crowd
stood gaping AT as. The busy whisper of
"'Tis they; tits they" was circulating
among them; so we were Immediately in
formed OF the fact that not only were our
ticipating our arrival.
The little town OF K. which we visited is
true type OF
NUREMBERG VILLAGE.
The main street runs with toleraole regu-
ls1ity the entire length OF the town from
mountain TO mountain, but the side streets
and lanes are mixed up with the most intol-
cradle iTregularity. 1t almost seemed Ike
being transferred a few centuries into the
past, such quaint, old fashioned aspect did
everything wear. IL they ever do build any.
thing new there they endeavor to make II
look as much like the old houses as posi- Ole
model IT after the accepted arch lecture o
the village and paint 1t dingy faded vel.
| low. The beams all appear on the outside
| OF houses and the projecting gable roofs en-
tirely shelter the narrow side walk beneath
Inc 'front.' room on the ground HOOr of nearly
every house Is q little store; very seldom are
| goods displayed In the window, but a SIN al
| square black lettered sign on one side OF the
| front door informs the public that such and
such trade is carried on there. At almost
| every other house hangs out a tavern sign
| board, such weather stained old affairs thai
| you can hardly distinguish the ferociou:
| animals painted on them or the words ''Tav.
| ern to the Black Bear" &c. The dyeing es
| Establishments where the hOmespuu woOlens
| are colOred have racks fixed from cue &c
| another of the attic windows. On then, they
| hang out yard after yard OF material TO dry
| so that II bangles but foot or two above the
heads OF the pedestrians on the street below
| AT ore end Of the village runs bright little
| river; 1y far the most animated thing in the
| Whole place. On its banks are a mill and
F, two or three tanneIies; many a pleasan
| hour did we spend on the bridge watchinl
the great wooden wheel paddle the wate
/ and listening to the rushing noise or the dan
| which almost extinguished the hum or busy
| life at the tanneries.
THE INTERIORS OF THE HOUSES
| are cosy and homelike, with everything OIL
| on such diminutive scale that they almos
| appear like doll houses. The rooms are small
| with low ceilings, and are papered yer,
| dark. Tie pictures on the vans are AWAY
Of something taken from German history
Il - .s