Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-02-19
LETTER FROM GERMANY.
LEIPZIG, Jan. 25th 1871.


almost homesick at the thought of leaving it for |
other cities which for beauty and social privileges
cannot in any degree compare with it. We were
not in q very jovisl mood when we took the train
from the Berlin" depot, en- route for Leipzig. 1t
| was prompt on half past seven, when the conduc-
tor blew his little "dog calf and the locomotive
shrieked a reply in a moment or two another
whistle from the "dog CALL two more shrieks
| from the locomotive and we are off. We passed
| numerous small places, stopping at several coun-
| try towns of mo Importance to travellers" and
| finally at Las arrived at Wittenberg, transfer
station. We took our satchel and started for the
Arrest train, called out Leipzig to the guard,
and after considerable German on the one hand
and English on the other, found out the position
of our train. We took the best looking carriage
we could see, and were hardly seated when the
guard informed us that this carriage was for the
ladies'. AT length after getting once into the
wrong class. we deposited our baggage in the
right car, and were ready to proceed. In the
course of time we were again on the way. and
after two more changes, at Stendsl and at Magde-
| burg-where there is fine universty-we ar
rived at Leipzig about 100 PM.
The semi annual Fair was just beginning, and
| only one week before, His Majesty. Emperor VIII
liam, had paid visit to the city. All around the
market places were lofty arches. supported on i'm
mense pillars of wood covered with plaster moulds
and resplendent with varied notices and words
of welcome to "Germany's Emperor and Prussia's
King" The city was in its gayest colors. All
the market places and squares were filed with
little booths, wherein were displayed all kinds of
nids of nina md nea,llas nilas IF
dress goods. silks and vevets jewelry and paint
ings, in short, great deal of everything, some
| thing and nothing. Crowds of people throng the
streets and all is now life and gayety. The thea
tres bring out their best plays, and the hotel keep
ers their choicest prices. Now is the time for the
prudent "haasfraa' to barter for goods for winter
use, and spend the day in vain endeavor to make
| the shopman drop one pfenuig-ll4 cents from
| quarter of yard Of red flannel The tenacity
with which Germans stick to pfennig is wonder
| full. They have been known to spend a whole
| day talking about the one pfennigs difference in
| trade of several hundred marks. Such wisdom
as the Germans show! They are so much more
| highly educated than the Americans! In fact
they wonderful people. The average Ger
man can get outside of more beer in fifteen min
/
days.
One night in Auelbach's r-immortalized
| In Faust-an American and German set before
| table well supplied with bottles of wine. After
| the two had been drinking for about an hour dur
ing which time the German had made way with
three bottles to the others one, the German
propose to try another kind and when the Amer
lean mildly remarked that it was with difficulty
| that he could cover what he had already imbbed,
| the German said "Only one bottle Are you
man I" and cast a look of pity such could be
| called forth only by such humating admission.
Your correspondent also informed that if one
small company of Germans should be sent against
the Indians in America, the sight of their martial
bearing would strike terror to the heart of the In
dians and in two weeks the entire trouble would
/ be ended.
| Leipzig is rather quiet city, very dirty, with
old antiquated houses aud very narrow streets.
1t was undoubtedly at first designed that no two
streets should run at right angles. The design
has been faithfully carried out. All through the
city are little narrow passages. which look as
though they led into eternal darkness, but which
wind in and out and finally emerge into street,
perhaps running as nearly at right angles as is
| consistent with the design. In the square near
the city buildings is shown the place where the
martyrs were put to death. One can almost
see their bodies writing under the torture and
hear their supplicatng cries.
l. The University is one of the best in Germany
1t is built in and around whole square, The
Oldest building was formerly a convent AS you
pass in at the entrance from University street,
you find yourself in a covered passage, and on the
sides of the wall are oil paintings of biblical and
other scenes. Passing along, you find the cells
with tiheii- dld ioned DOORS where the monks used
to do penance. These cells have sadly degener-
ated now. They are principally used as wine eel
lars etc. As you pass through you find two good
sized courts; in the second, q room with grated
windows, attract attention. This is the Univcr-
sity prison. The students are not subject to the
police or the city laws; but all breaches of city
regulations, must be reported to the proper per-
the college faculty, and by him be pun
ishcd. One unfortunate was walking along the
street one fine evening, when he thoughtlessly
struck the shutters with, his cane, and at once
policeman took his name. The next day he was
obliged to spend twenty -four hours in the afore-
named abode, with only a camp stool and hard
bed, and only bread and water to appease the
craving for beer etc. The theatre is a nice, neat
building, supplied with all the modern conven-
fences, and covered promenade in which the fes-
tive Germans stretch their limbs during the inter-
mission between the acts. 1t belongs to the State
and cost shout 1925 900. Thourds church is one
of the old land marks, and is celebrated for the
school connected with 1t. The choir, composed of
male voices selected from the best in the school,
has been highly praised a, OF the best in Ger
many; but singing is by no means q success here,
for the American public would starve on the
meagre singing which satisfies the public here.
And the quality, with one or two exceptions is
not up to the high standard.
Madame Peschka Ientna of auhlic Ia