The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-01-30
LETTER FROM GERMANY.
A New Orleans Boy Abroad Sends Christmas
Gree tings to his Old Companions. How
Christmas is Passed by the Sch0ol-boys in
Germany.

GoDEsBERG ON THE RHINE, Dec. 80, 1875
Editor New Orleans Bulletin
Dear Sri have concluded to indite a let
ter to my school-Loy friends in America, ant
I take the liberty of Offering you this, be
Geving that the motive with which 1 write
viz: That of sending a Christmas greetin,
to the New Orleans boys at large, will weigh
with you in deciding whether to publish THU
letter, more than any consideration of its in
terest as reading matter, or its literary merit
This is the second Christmas have spen
in Germany, and this year, as we'll as last,
have thought great deal about my friends
at home and those from other parts of the
country, whom I have met at school. o.
course have also thought very much of all
the different friends with whom my memories
OF merry times in the past, and especially on
Christmas occasions, are inseparably asso.
ciated. We have not in New Orleans, it is
true, much idea of the typical Christmas as il
is pictured in romance and poetry. with its
frozen lakes and rivers, where joyous skating
:,
its wide fields Of spotless snow, the thousand
and one charms that winter lends; but for
all that, we know how to enjoy ourselves
there, and when I think of our Christmas
matinees, our gay streets, our delightful par
ties Of various kinds, seem almost to be
wandering in Q land Of waking dreams. SO
bright and beautiful are the scenes conjured
up by imagination from the distant sunny
land where all these visions are living reali-
ties.
Thinking of these things feel impelled to
send few words of greeting to my friends
at large, and to express the hope that they,
one and all. have enjoyed the very merriest OF
merry Christmas times this year, and that in
the midst of their enjoyment they have not
forgotten us Americans who pass the time of
universal holiday in a foreign land, for we all
think of them with the fondest wishes for the
happiness of those We love, and generally OF
our friends at home, looking forward with de-
Gghtful anticipations to the time when we
shall rejoin them. But it would be great
mistake to suppose we were not happy this
"merry Christmas"
We are not at all in condition to be pitied,
but on the contrary, have had q splendid
time, although we are 5000 miles from home.
We would be most unreasonable fellows not
to feel contented and happy in place where
We are so we'll cared for as here, and as we
are not unreasonable, we think ourselves
lucky, being at q school where we are go
kindly treated as We are here. There are
eleven of US who do not 60 home this year
for the holidays, and we have been having as
nice time as we could we'll wish for.
First, there was the usual Christmas lottery,
an admirable institution, devised by DR.,
Baskerville, our principal, and his wife, for
the entertainment of those who remain with
them. The prizes are useful articles, such as
eau de cologne, books, paper, slippers, ETC., all
OF which are purchased with the money
accumulating from the fines paid by the boys
during the year, that being the system of
punishment that prevails in the shcool, and
very good one it is, as the boys have to pay
them out of their pocket money. For ex
ample, . word Of English spoken in the
presence Of q teacher, one groschen," late
appearance at breakfast one 'sgroschen," and |
50 on.
These Christmas lotteries are o source Of
Infinite pleasure to the boys, and indirectly
80 to Dr. Baskerville and his kind lady. |
After supper We had quite concert amcng
ourselves. the instruments represented being
the piano, cornet and violin. At present We
are having rather warm weather for Christ
mas. and there is no ice on the ponds. Here
the Germans make Christmas day Of quiet,
and pistols, cannon and fireworks are not
thought Of The Germans consider it purely
day of thanksgiving.
Hoping all who may read this letter have
mad merry Christmas, I am, as ever, your
friend, H.HH.
The word Democrat is getting to have :