The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-02-15
TEE PACIFIC
Commercial A0Orrtl5rr
SATURDAY,. FEBRUARY IS.
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE


Oh now ccuteFiu- gt- thoughts upon the festivities
ct tie coming week. Tie very air seems filed
with a spirit of preparation. Ia some circles
the recent death Or the Grand Duchess OF Hes-e
Darmstadr, Princes Alice VI EngIand. will now
ever bring sadness al this Christmas tide. Through
cat the Empire the mourning for this young wife
and mother hos been most deep and genuine. II
has been said that no death since that Of the
idolized Queen Louisa, many years ago, has been
- depl0Ted. There was something peculiarly
touching about the circumstances Of her death.
During the illness Of her husband, the Grand
Duke and that Of her children, from diphtheria,
she had retained her health and wac enabled to
care for them unweaTiedIy. When they seemed
No longer 10 need her care, she was herself seized
with the same disease and shortly afterwards
died. The Duchess has taken great interest in a
Hospital in Darmstadt, and it is thought that the
disease was contracted there.
Berlin presents a very animated appearance just
now. The principal streets are crowded with
busy buyers, and the shop windows are beautiful
and tempting in the extreme. Little forests Of
Christmas trees, mounted on stands, make the
public market places seem almost summer-like.
In Germany no home IS without its Christmas
tree. There Is something very beautiful in the
uniyersality Of the custom, and in the interest
with which the old as well as the young look
forward to the lighting OF the tapers on Christ
mas Eve. In different parts Of the city little
villages of booths have sprung up, where all
manner Of articles are being sold, so that the city
seems to be ono large fair. Tempting as the city
is just now, Jour correspondent IS running away
for a few days at Christmas to friends in the coun-
try, who promise him a real German Christmas,
difficult to find in large cities. Germany can
no longer claim an exclusive right to the "Christ-
mas tree On tho ssEye" dear to children. For
round our world runs now at this blessed festive
season 4 verdant belt of cleaning trees, - and
all nations, where Christianity has found accept
anee, join in this pleasant, old, but ever new
custO1. But Germany is still spar erceHeHoe''
the land Of Christmas and the = Christmas
tree and a visit here is scarcely complete with
out a ''Christmas'' celebration, and this | have
had this year IN perfection. Ny dear friends,
the Won p. family, by their warm and urgent in
~vitation, tempted me away from Berlin for the
holiday week to their beautiful estate in Meek
lenburg. KS | left Berlin, the city lay ROBBED in
white, snowy draperies, growing whittier and
whittier under the soft touch Of the falling snow
fakes. It was impossible not 20 know it was
nearing Christmas. The trains were filled with
merry travellers, mufled up to the eyes in huge
furs, going home for the holidays. Aud at every
station the keen air was warmed into a sort Of
summer mildness by laughter and welcoming
words and hearty greetings. How like some
gIaddening burst Of sunshine through ril,ed clouds
in the midst of the worlds business and cares
and troubles these bright days IN the heart Of
winter, In the Mecklenburg landscape there is
but little variety wide spreading plains stretch
ing of to the Baltic. And yet there is for one
born in the tropics, a never failing source Of
pleasure in the q~uictcst of landscapes, purified
by the whIteuess of winter. And IN the few
hours ride from BeIlIn, ! felt, as scarcely ever
before, the restluI influence Of gray skies. limit
less czpausc Of spotless snow, sombrc but richly
shadowy forests. 1T one Of the stations coming
north our company were met by our host and
son. who were just returning from hunting on
their estate in Pomeraniu, SO that we received a
pleasant addition to our party. At Rostock, a
quaint old town, one Of the IIansa- league, our
railway Journey ended. The carly winter twi-
light had already gathered over the antique gable
roofs Of the houses, so that we saw but little of
the city. The family coach, with its four stall
war; N0rSc-- WIS EGdly v , duu VI WIZ
dashing off through dark evergreen forests, over
roads shcctcd with snow, and under the clear,
starry December sky for a fifteen mile ride
What a warm, genial welcome in its comfort and
elegance tho Castle had in waiting for US, and
better than all, the kindly, smiling faces of our
friends greeting US as we left the darkness and
cold am sadly tempted to give you Z long
account Of our Christmas week here, but my
time really permits me only to sketch 1t very
hastily. My host is proprietor of ono OF the fine
old Mecklenburg estates, which he manages with
wisdom and skill. The castle, its surroundings,
It's interior. etc, are charming. There Is a GER
tain prImitiveness, n cOnservativeness, n remind
or os some old regime about tie life and people
here. 50 that l am half tempted to think L am
reading some old romance, or poem or chronicle,
or that during this holiday week have been en-
ioyiug a long and pleasant dream, which will
fade away as soon as l am once more in the
midst or the realities and prose Of Berlin.
The undermining spirit which las OF late
made itself 80 much felt in Germany, has, happi-
". not 70 any very marked extent invaded the
order and peace Of this region Of Mecklenburg-
In this district are a number OF old families OF
the nobility, owning large estates, and about
whom cluster little yillEges Of tenants and work
ing people, whose fathers and fOrclathers lived
and worked very much as they work to-day. 1t
would be untrue to say that the condition OF the
peoplc had not been much improved in some re-
spects, that q frccr and broader spirit docs not
exist here, but on the whole, the old times still
Iiurer. modified and meIlowei by the new.
We have passed directly into all the enjOyments
of winter country life. Each ono is free to
amuse himself as he may like, with walking,
hunting, riding, sIeighiug, skating, etc. etc.
The weather was perfect for Christmas. The
snow which had fallen a few days before was in
excellent condition for sleighiDg, and the sun
rIowed and CLEANED in a sIOriously blue north
crn sky, and reflected itself endlessly in snow
crystals, in arrowy-pendant i%cicles, in frozen
..I- -. Thn cnsiIe stands ON slightly