San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-06-14

Especial Cssrsspsndent Asw Yssk Thbsns.l
AUSTIN. Texss.-"If you waut to
see the prettisst part Of Texas." said
. San Antonio acquaintance. "lsave
the railroad at Marion, { listls station
twenty miles east Of here, and 20 across
the country to Austip. There's .
stass running. It vss robbed . few
dsys go, bus The performance won't bs
repeated % soon. and you will b safe
enough. Stop III the New Brauniels
settlement sui ~ The oldest and most
prosperous German colony in the
STATE" I took his advice, lslt the
cars At dsybreak on raw morning,
when the fag end Of . nortber was
blowing. and embarked in . stage. eosch
in company with three soldiers. The
country was open and dotted with the
comfortable farmsteads Of the German
settlers. The small fields are we'll
fenced, and bear evidences Of careful
tillsge: the cattle and horses browsing
the dead grass are sleek aud fat, and
the little farmhduses look neat aud
comfortable. In the whole landscape
there il nothing peculiarly Southern,
and nothing at al Texan save the oc-
casiohal stretches Of untitled land COW
cred with mesquite.
A Prosperous GERMAN COLONY.
After few hours drive over sticky
black roads the stage drew up at the
door Of the New Brauhfels tavern,
where genial landlord in knit jacket
welcomed the travellers to = big room
that was bar. room, Office and billiard.
room for the inn. and general losnging
place for ali the lazy fellows Of the
village. The walls were hung with
prints Of the Austro. Prussian War,
varied by sentimental love speues. In
the room to which l was shown the
ds.nenkiassen on the beds, the chintz cur
tains at the windows. and the heavy
cherry furniture carried my memory
back at a bound to little German vii
lage inns in Bavaria and Wurtemburg
So did the dinner, and the people al
table. who chatted and joked incessant-
ly, with the happy German faculty o.
making few triHing topics furnish
material for deal of lively oonversa'
ton. 1t was about forty years ago that
Prince Salm of Braunfels camo to
Texas with retinue Of barons and
knights and goodly following of stout
artisans and peasants, and founded
this colony on the head waters Of the
Comal. The Prince and his fine gen.
tlemen we're full OF romantic notions
of life in a new country, which were
Knocked out of them in year or SC
of rude experience. Most Of the
young noblemen returned to Germany
with their leader, but the sturdy me
chanics and farmers could not get back
| nor did they want to, for they found
the land good, the climate like that Of
Italy, and tho means Of lite easy to
get. With them remained few ol
the poorer gentry-enough to give an
intellectual tone to the colony and
keep alive taste for German litera.
ture and music. The colonists, receiv
| ing few accessions, and none in late
years, have increased and prospered Sc
that they and their descendants now
occupy the whole county of Comal
Their wealth is proverbial in Western
Texas. 1t said that there is more
gold and silver hid in old stockings in
Comal county than can be found in
the vaults of all the banks in San Au
tonic. Their village of New Braun
tells has 5000 inhabitants, who sup
port good public schools where Eng.
Iish and German are taught, Lutheran
and Catholic churches, and a weekly
newspaper. They have a choral soci'
ETY., an orchestra, dramatic club and
of course, tanzkTanzehea: they make
little wine. and they used to make
their own beer. but since the railroad
came so near the big st. Louis brew
cries have supplanted the home -msds
brew. Isolated fiom the American
element of Texan life, with which
they have little sympathy, by wide
stretches Of thinly settled country. aud
producing in abundance all their sim
pie wants require. these excellent peo-
pie are Joyous and contentej. and
mipeliue pleasure With industry. seei
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