The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-01-24
A Fairy story " hich is rrue.

A Fairy story " hieh is Crue.
Across tue SEA, in one of the Old
World countries. there Is still lett q fairy
land. To tina it, ore must travel far and
tong, and when, ut last, the entrance Is
REACT ed tverythino about it looks and IS
very strange Of course the traveller
who decides 10 enter the enchanted land
must first obey his guide, dismiss all
fear, and put on the white robe and cap
of velvet provided for him. A wishing
cap, you know or 81 metimes an invisible
cap, is part OF every outfit IN fairyland.
The guide, who wears black suit, is
quite solemn, ami utters prayer for the
soul of his guest before starting, which,
however, BODIES no great danger to be
faced. The two then bestride a single
horse of wood, that travels like light
ming express down, down, deep into the
under world. A dizzy rush-a strong
current of cold air, and they suddenly
stop In fairy palace OF crystal bright
ness. The floor on which they stand,
the columns that support the vaulted
roof far above them, the walls, the lofty
ceilings, are all of the same wondrous
Wilderness. Moving about in this mys-
FERROUS world are more men in black,
who have leather aprons and in their
caps lighted candles. With pick and
shovel they busily dig and cut the crys-
elves of the mountain. On every side
are vaulted corridors and dim passages
leading into wonderful chambers, new
and strange in shape and use, but all of
the same transparent substance that
glistens and sparkles in the lights of the
candles and torches like myriads of fash
ing diamonds.
Here are royal ball rooms with orches-
ira gallery, brilliant chandeliers and
floor, of the same lustrous whiteness;
dining-rooms with long tables, chairs,
and sconces for lights, and bed-chambers
with touches, all in the same pure mono
tone of coloring. Perhaps the greatest
surprise to the enchanted visitor is the
grand cathedral, with stately columns
and springing arches, with high altar and
magnificent cross, organ loft, choir,
inches, pedestais, statues and crucitiXes,
even the figures of kneeling worshipers
everywhere cleaning in the torch-hghts
with dazzle of crystalline spleudor.
Do yod ask what is this radiant sub
stance of which the fairy world is
wrought
The answer is simple.
Salt Rock salt in the wonderful far.
famed mines of Poland, Wieiezka by
name.
The picture is not exaggerated. AL
that has been said is true, and far more
Here are stately halls, vast and mag.
nifcent, many of them $50 feet long
and wide. Fancy it ! Trinity Church
spire is only 300 feet high. There are
chapels, galleries, caves, grottos-a1 o.
the same material and each beautiful tiny
grain sparkling for itself.
After one has wandered till weary, b,
Will suddenly come upon a grand stair
case cut in the solid rock crystal, LEADING
down to another world as vast and won
derful. There are five stories, one beloy
the other, and more than thirty miles O
subterranean passages. Four or five O
these are as much as most travellers car
to explore. These chambers and gal
leries have been left in the process O
cutting out blocks of salt, which ha
been going on for more than six hundre,
yeals-no wonder they are so vast ana
grand.
The miners are a cheerful, pious people
who cross themselves devoutly when the
start to descend the frail swinging lad
ders that lead down the shafts for I'll,
workmen. They have cut from the roel
many chapels adorned with images o
saints, so that 1T every turn one meets ;
statue Of solid crystal, so clear and trans
parent that Il torch held behind it CLEANS
through it with softened light. Whe1
any image or altar is to be made it il
roughly outlined in mass OF salt anC
then water poured over it. This dis
solves the outer crust, and when tn,
water has evaporated it leaves the surface
smooth and solid.
The miners, who look like pigmies il
the vast chambers, only work during few
hours-and then come up to the blessed
sunlight. They have helpers in theil
daily labor, the patient horses who draw
the huge blocks of salt to the foot of the
shafts; these never see the light of day
their lives of sunless toll are spent IL
the depths of the earth. Poor, faithful
servants of mans need One wishes
that the Indians hunting grounds of the
Great Spirit might await them in the
hereafter
In the deepest depths. said to be soc
feet below the sunlight, the passages
grow narrower and the ceiling lower. til
one must creep on all-fours to see new
wonder of this wondrous world. A sud
den turn, &nd before him sparkle the
silver waters of a silent lake Torches
fastened in the crystal walls CLEAN above
and the still waters below fash bach
their brightness. Far as the eye can see
into the darkness beyond stretches the
mirror-like, motionless lake guarded b,
the strong walls of salt rock. We know
that once, long ages and ages ago. these
waters laughed in the sunshine, dancing
down the mountain side or in the meadow
brook, bat down, down they came
through cleft and crevice, cave and cav
ern, till they found their place of res
in this world of night and darkness. The
flashing oars of the fiat bottomed boa
that carries travellers to the further enc
of the lake alone break its stiffness.
Here stands little chapel, plain an(
unpretending. On it might we'll b,
craven the words of our Lord, Through
out the world, this also, that she hatl
done. shall be spoken of as a memoria
of her."
For it was erected in memory of goo,
Queen of Poland, who, more than 60
years ago, discovered these mines O
treasure and gave them to her sufferin.
people.
The old story runs in this wise Sht
was away IN Hungary, and, hearing o
the poverty and distress of her subjects
she prayed for them. 4 holy MAJ
appeared to her and directed her to cas-
her most precious possession, priceless
ieweled ring, into deep well Tni
she did with simple faith, and, when sh,
returned to her home at the foot of tn,
great mountains, some peasants brough