Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-25
For THE STAR.
SkETCHEs FROM GERMAN LIFE
u--Ererv-Day Life.

tue beins one OF me sterling Teutonic Qcali-
lies we ind them most tiresome people 90
deal with. The trouble In dealing with the
small trades people, who are cot Ger
mans, proper, is That they have no fixed
price There Is always q choice between
paying The one nrst asked or a long marley
with the salesman Ifit be a man IL is worth
while 10 adopt the latter course but woe be
unto the unsuspecting individual who at
tempts 70 drive q bargain with a woman
Once go 30 far as TO ask, "fs this tue lowest
cumstauces, Will she allow you Co Leave
Without having made purchase. She will
do more talking over one little article than
man would In selling Of the entire stock.
With the Germans themselves there is
q most dead-and- alive, uninterested STYLE
Of oor so sna business You sot into
got IL, and that ends the matter. They will
zee you depart when little tact I'm display
TO purchase. An American salesman in
stating that they have not got a certain
article will always add: "But we have some
better" The spirit however is foreign 10
Germany. There they never make gorgeous
window displays at the beginning OF each
season, never advertise largely In the papers
or by haJdbills as is done In our country. IL
they appear In pant AT all IL is simply a bust
ness card without the slightest pretence 10
detailing. In large cities and watering
places there are notices. u most store windows
stating thet "Tci on pdrie Francois" There
was time when we hailed with delight
lish spoken" but experience taught that
one fares better by speaking. no matter how
brokenly, the language OF the country.
Americans abroad are always sure 10 be
taken advantage OF, their reputation for
reckless expenditure of money being firmly
established. After our quick decimal recK-
oning OF dollars ana cents. the endless variety
OF Prussisn, Saxon, Austrian. and Bavarian
coins that are used in Germany seem
10 cause endless waste of precious time In
making change. Moreover arithmetic is
not a strong point with the Germans aud
quick reckoners are scarce articles. Not
that the country cannot boast as fine
the general knowledge OF this branch OF
study which is very deficient. Lately they
have introduced Prussian Marx money OF
the decimal order which will gradually serve
10 Strengthen out affairs in this direction.
THE ANNOYING FEE SYSTEM ABROAD.
One annoying little detail in making a
purchase is that they use newspapers for
wrapping paper. Few and far between are
the establishments liberal or enterprising
enough 10 provide suitable paper and tWine
German newspapers are small, and the print
Is sure to rub off on your gloves, besides
there is always mean appearance about a
newspaper parcel, so you act upon the shop.
Keepers suggestion and have IL sent home
That Invariably involves fee 10 the person
who brings IL. The European custom OF fee
ing is most miserable one I'm many re-
spects, both annoying to travellers and ruin
Gus to servants. II Is astonishing how many
persons in Germany servein positions where
neration in fees. The errand boy, for in
stance, who brings your pa.cel you feel in
duty bound TO fee, knowing that he receives
no other pay. A person travelling In Europe
| may be delighted with the moderation or
| their hotel bills; but take into consideration
The hosts OF servants To be feed before you
leave the house, and they are not so strik-
ingly moderate after all. Ladies travelling
without gentleman escort are especial VIC
Tins to this abominable custom. Every SER
want IN the hotel manages in some way
| TO dance attendance, and then when the
time OF departure comes they stand
IL most appalling numbers around the front
door wishing you In chorus pleasant Jour
ney as you hand out the fees. At first we
| did not fee the gentlemanly head waiter who
received us when we came and helped us
| with the air OF prince into the carriage
| upon leaving, fearing to commit a blunder
AID offend his pride. But this was a delu-
sion soon gotten over, for we never met any
ment himself too proud to take a fee. Be-
sides the expense, IL is a most annoying
thlng TO have to continually be opening your
portmonnaie for trifling fees. IL, however an
Individual to whom 1t is due sees no pros
pect OF its forthcoming unasked, he never
allows modesty TO prevent his making the
| request. They call 1t trirlkged, or drinking
money, that being supposed to be its use.
but TO many presume 1t is food and drink
and raiment. In all carriages a printed
tarin Is hung, so there Is no danger OF exor-
bitant hackmen, but If you do not appear
pOTtmonnaie In hard as he opens the door
then comes the unfailing "7rmkgeld, Prda-
| tein''
STREET CoNvEYANCEs
Street cars are not SO common q mode OF
conveyance as in our country; they only run
in large cities. Last summer q tramway
was introduced in Wjesbaden, quite 10 event
10 the old Inhabitants. The cars are nicely
built, comprising three differently classed
compartments. The conductors and drivers
are uniformed, and the whole affair very
nigh, toned In comparison to our modes OF
public conveyance.
A great convenience are the Dieaapaaenaer.
answering somewhat to our
DISTRICT TELEGRAPH BOYS
excepting that being men they do every SER
vice. from carrying trunks to the depot or
moving furniture, 10 buying your theater
tickets for you. Every one OF them wears a
great brass number label; remembering this
You can trust them with any amount TO
change. They and the police generally stand
Ia the squares throughout the city.
THE GERMAN POLICE
are q solemn body. Their regulations for
| preserving order and quiet are most strin-
| gent, and strike terror into the hearts OF the
children. You will ind no boys who play
ball, throw stones, and then sing out defying
little ditties TO "carps" and ''peelers, !" as do
our American youths. There is too much
solemn reverence for anything of that Kind.
III they do commit any misdemeanor def nce
is unthought OF. There is q fine for every
thing thrown from window down upon the
street below. Not even is clothing alloweI
| TO be brushed or shaken out of any but a rear
window. Servants are frequenIly fned when
In cleaning room they shake out the rugs
upon the passers below. The police watch
SO sharply that you are sure to be caught at
an offence OF this kind, and made to paw
about Prussian thaler.
GERMAN NEWSPAPERS
| are rather tame, in the matter OF news 10
comparison to ours. They are highly
superior, though, for refined, good read
| ing. In the first place, there is not
that morbid taste among the people for
records or scandal, murder and crime gener-
| ally. III such things are mentioned il is in
the briefest manner possible. There are no
inquisitive reporters to run about, hunt up
| and then clothe all the details of crime with
| every horror their pens can picture; no gen.
eral class of readers to appreciate such things
were they written. The papers are small
| and the classification of news very moor.
| Indeed, sometimes things seem TO be in a
| mighty tumble. First will come q we'll
| written critiQue on operate or other perform
| ances; then the thanks of a family TO friends
| who have kindly ministered to some sick
| member OF the same; then the announcement
OF servant seeking q situation; next a no.
tice Of something lost, of Divine services in
| the church, and often birthday congratula-
| tions. These congratulations are very anus
| ing. quote q verbatim translation or one of
II NJ In Ag