The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-11
Three Days Rest i'm the Splendid City
of Brussels.

LIE MASNEK1N--THE PRETTY LEGEND IN WHICH
1T HAD ITS BIRTH.
BRUSSELS, June GA pleasant ride or
six hours yesterday brought us from Co.
lognc to Brussels, where we found ar accu-
mutation OF letters from home awaiting our
arrival. We had scarcely left Cologne be-
fore we noticed that the signs at the station
were in both French and German, and after
passing Liege, the boundary line between
Prussia and Belgium, they were in French
and Flemish. whilst ate Brussels they are
also in English. The houses, instead
of being OF stone, were Of red brick,
which gave q home-likc look to the couD-
try. Had it not been for the hedge fences
we might have imagined we were driving
along through York county, Pennsylvania.
The principal crop is wheat,.and here, as
everywhere throughout our !olrney-ln
France, Italy. Austria, Prussia, and Bel
cium-the fields promise an immense yield.
There will be no failure Of crops anywhere
in Continental Europe this year, though In
parts OF England they are not so promising.
We have in Journey OF forty-eiglt days
nearly ssswung around the circle I" OF Con-
tinental Europe. and find ourselves within
five hours ride OF Paris. The journey has
been very pleasant and interesting, the wea-
thcr good, and nothing has occurred 10 mar
our uninterrupted enjoyment.
THE CITY OF BRUSSELS.
Brussels. as your readers are aware. IS Inc
capitol Of the little Kingdom OF Belgium.
1t is, however, Il grand city, and with It's
suburbs has Il population OF 100000. Ihere
are over 5000 permanent English residents,
il being better climate and much cheaper
= toI fhnp T onInn
The educated classes speak French almost
exclusively, and the lower classes Flemish.
In the stores, however. all three languages
are spoken quite fluentiy.
The parks, public grounds, and boule-
wards arc on as extensive scale as those OF
Paris, and its old palaces and public build
ines are really magnificent, whilst there are
being erected number Of very splendid
structures for public purposes that will
greatly add to the beauty OF the city.
In the matter Of parks, public grounds,
broad avenues and boulevards, fountains,
monuments. and broad pIazaS, there are
few cities OF its size that can equal it. Its
Horticultural Garden and Geological Gar
dens are very extensive and attractive. In
short. Brussels bears all the marks OF an old
and prosperous city. Everything has an
air Of solidity and wealth, and its stores,
.although not so numerous, are rs elegant
and attractive as those Of Paris. The old
portions Of the city are crooked and wind
ing, but all the new portions, including the
suburbs, are on q grand scale.
One Of the favorite excursions from the
CITY is to the battlefield of Waterloo, but
we had seen so many more recent BATTLE
fields that the novelty OF that species OF
sightseeing had worn OH. We, conse-
qucntly, used Brussels as resting-piace,
beng satisfied with Il few drives and more
extensive roaming through its arcadeS and
business streets. We found the Amcrl-
can street railway running in every direc-
lion, and the cars generally crowded. They
are called American Chem!n$ de Fer"
They completely circle the city, and run
out into the suburbs in every direction.
The prices vary from ten to sixty centimcs
llrom two to twelve centS), according to the
distance. There are ten different lines.
LIE MANNHEIM.
Among the fountains OF Brussels there is
none that commands such attention OF the
stranger as this diminutive figure, and there
is none that is held in such reverence by
the people of Brussels. 1t is Il droll curios-
ity, whilst, at the same time, it is true
picture OF innocence and nature. He stands
on his pedestal, showing by his countenance
that be is oblivious OF the fact that he is
surrounded by spectators. and that some OF
them glance at him from behind their fans.
1t IS the figure OF hearty and robust little
boy, about six years OF age, standing on q
pedestal over half-circle basin, and as he
has been frequently stolen or defaced, an Or
namental iron railing encoses both the BASIN
and the statue. But lie Mannekin is an his
torical character, and he has stood for four
hundred years IN his present position. The
first statue was in stone, but two hundred
and sixty Years ago it was replaced by the
present bronze figure by Duquesnov. There
are various legends in connection with II,
the best accepted OF which is that the son
OF distinguished man had been lost for some
time. having strayed away. This part OF
Brussels was then thicket, and it was on
the spot that the fountain was subsequently
erected by his father that he was found,
after diligent search, just i'll the position
and in the act which the statue repre-
sents. In gratitude for his recovery the
fountain was erected, and has stood during
all the vicissitudes of war and changes OF
government. 1t has been from time imme-
mortal an object OF popular affection. On
grand holidays it has always been the Gus
tom of LIE Mannekin to wear costume, and
an officer is regularly appointed and paid
by the City Council OF Brussels. whose
duty is to dress him on these occasions and
to keep him in repair and in running order.
When Louis XIV. captured Brussels in
1747 he wore large white cockade on his
hat. LII 1889 he was dressed out in colors
OF the Brabancon reyolutionists, and
the Empire girded him with the
French tri-color under Napoleon. The
Dutch Government imposed the orange
colors upon him. The days Of Septem-
Der beheld him dressed in blouse, and
under the present reign on grand occasions
he proudly wears the tunic OF the civic
guard. This little inanimate figure has
been the object Of several bequestS, from
which some idea Of the sentiment OF the
people OF Brussels in relation to him may
be Judged. The object OF these Gequests
was to furnish fund, not only to furnish
him with dresses for fetes, but also to keep
the fountain in good order, and repair and
renew it when necessary. This Is the fund
which the city administers, and which pays
for his chamberlain. 1t would not have
done to visit Brussels without giving some
account of LIE Mannekin.-C. G.. Fulton's
last letter.
Commonplace men frequently vault into
high political positions. They have them
selves written up, and sometimes they have
their portraits printed in illustrated papers
at their own ay nensa 81 Here ia one OF the