Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-11-07
EUROPEAN LETTER.
Heidelberg.
From our own oorre.nondent.

I
% pleasant summer afternoon.
the train on which we were was
winding along The fertile valley Of
the Kline when with sudden turn
It swept away from the river toward
the dark mountains, some ten miles
distant. Half an hour later, we were
10 the beautiful and Economically sit-
uated city OF Heidelberg, gazing in
almost open mouthed amazement at
the grand, tree covered mountain
which seemed to hang over our heads
and wondering how city could ever
possibly be squeezed in between it
and the Neckar. which washes its
base. By six o'clock we had goue
through the eight or ten formal
courses Of the table de hote dinner.
and were on our way up the ling
street which led To tho castle, more
than 300 feet abovs the c:tv. We
bad time only for harried glance
at the ruins, which are the grandest
and most extensive of any in Ger
many, before the declining sun threw
around US the gIories of beautiful
sunset. Late 10 the evening. as we
sat In our room talking with a friend
tho full moon came up from behind
the great mountain and shone Upon
the city and the distant ruined castle
with richness of silver light which
throws q peculiar charm about such
a scene as this
The next morning under the guild
ance OF friends udent 10 the Uni
versity, We set out for an all-dsys
tramp over the mountain and tbro'
the ruined castle. Several hours
walking along well made paths wind
ing constantly upward through the
woods OF the mountain side, brought
us 60 the summit more than 10000
feet above tho city On the way NJ
we had many b aniiful outlooks from
resting places along tbs path, giving
US constantly varying aud widening
views of the city, the castle aud the
surrounding country. A par, of the
time we went up the remaios of a
long flight OF stairs called Heavens
Ladder, which formerly extended
from the castle straight up the side
OF the mountain 10 its very top
But no language can begin to do JUS
tice TO the wonderful panorama
which lag before us after we had as
cended the tower on the Konigsstuhl
Or hlngs seat. Below and far away
beyond the city is the fertile plane
with tie Rhine and Neckar winding
through it. Beyond the Rhine are
the Hartz mountains with their
wealth Of legende,a md in sight are al.
so the Odenwald, the Saabian and
Taunus mountains. and on the other
side OF the tower, the broad rolling.
unbroken green OF the hills and
mountains OF the Black Forest. Or
clear day with good glass. the
spires of the cathedral at Strsssburp
can be seen by those who have good
imaginations. Descending by cir
cuitous path We go through acres of
hnckieberry bushes, and these indeed
give a name TO it, for Heidelberg.in
Eoglish, means nothing more than
huckleberry bill or mountain.
:" What's in name ?" Everything.
How all that is beautiful and roman
tic seems to be- suggested by the
!" Old Castle of Heidelberg" but
when we begin to talk about the
" old stone house on huckleberry
bill" the ideal has al! oozed out Of
us and we cannot think of anything
poetical. La like manner, when we
think of moon light walks "under
the lindens," we picture to ourselves.
brown haired, blue eyed German low
ers with their arms around each 9th
er Ia q romantic and natural manner
but when we talk about "moon-
light under tho Eastwood" which
means the same thing, it is impos
sibe to bring up anything poetical
or TO think OF anything short OF
Samanth Simpkins and H.z kiah
Rawbones struggling awkwardly
along on the opposite sides of the
road, and venturing an occasional
remark about huskins, cuttings or
the prospects of the q app;esass y
crop
On the way down we have a flee
view of the valley of the Neckar and
up pretty little stream on s,he op.
posite side of the river. We again
see the city from height above the
castle, aud from il are enabled To get
something OF en- idea of the size of
the castle and the gardens around it.
Descending. We enter The castle
grounds at the Great Terrace, which
forms one side of the gardens.
and from which there is very fine
view Of the castle, the city and the
country beyond as far as the Hartz
mountains. A part of this terrace is
very high wall built up from the
gardens below and filed in against
the side OF the mountain. Between
this and the crag on which the castle
stands there was formerly a large
flower garden which must have pre-
sented beautiful appearance from
the part of the castle facing it, or
from the terrace.
A walk of a quarter of mile along
the terrace brings US to tie main en-.
trance Of the castle, beyond which,
and nearer to the town is the Eliza
bethan gate, large triumphal arch,
built by one of the lords of the cas-
tie 10 honor of his English wife, Eli
zabeth. The main entrance was for.
merly over the moat by a draw
bridge and through watch tower
with narrow passage closed by q
massive portcullis, whose rusty iron
points can still be seen above our
heads as we enter. The entrance
opens into great open square
around which the buildings are most
ly arranged. There are thirteen or
fourteen of them in all, of various
sizes and different degrees of preser-
walton. These were built by sue.
cessive rulers from 600 to 300 years
ago, and finished with more or less
characterization.
The castle was several times be-
sieged and captured, and was three
times destroyed, aud entirely or