The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-12-16
Village Life in North Germany.

| Inc younger women, the children of
an age to labor, and the fewyoung men
not IN the army were generally absent
IN the fields. Only very aged persons
and small children were consequently
left for my studies. Although the hor-
rible kaasderUeLscA which thew spoke
and my own perhaps too carefully spoken
| German somewhat obscured our con-
versation, the language of ptennige (the
smallest coin in use) was fully under
stood, and under its spell the little tow
| heads became familias and the old peo-
pie friendly and communicative. The
babies and their feathered and bristled
comrades of dung-heap and puddle ap-
peared to have language of their own,
and to be on the best Of terms. The
old women tottered back and forth with
fagots or huge bundles OF grass, which,
viewed from behind. left only their bare
brown legs visible. The little bows
climbed the poplar-trees which bordered
the chaussee and stripped off the leaves,
which are stored up for sheep fodder in
winter. They find use for everything.
One Sunday afternoon-it was soon
after my arrival-I went TO the Village
and found on the greenfa Carroussel In
operation. | had seen similar con-
trivaneesat German festivals in America.
1t corresponds, think, to the i" merry-
go-round'' of the English. This one was
cumbrous affair, consisting of four
clumsy wooden effigies of the horse at
tached to a circular ring, which was
made to turn by crank in the hands of
a grimy Snowman. For a pfennig one
fn - al
foaming chargers and revolve for five
minutes to strains evolved by disrepu-
table-looking peasant woman from the
inner consciousness of a tiendish organ.
The people seemed to enjoy this excit-
ing recreation, in stolid sort of way.
They were out en- naasse, and in their
poor Sunday best. The attire of the
men could hardly be called COSTUME"
but that of the women was rather
picturesque, especially on the few Young
and comely girls saw. The main feat
ures of this costume were the curiouslv
arranged head d-kerchiefs. one of white
lawn, the other of black silk. The
former is first bound about the head,
covering the hair entirely.,.the stiffiy-
starched corners standing out like wings
behind the. ears. Over this the black
kerchief is tightly wound and tied in a |
large bow, like the Alsatian, on the top
of the head. Another mentionable feat |
ure is a superabundance of very full |
gathered woolen skirts To attain the |
number of fourteen, all worn at once.
the longest beneath, that the edges of 1
all may be seen and counted, is the de-
sire which lies nearest every well-regu-
lated peasant girls heart. /
In the section where I spent
those months of which write, intem-
perance ragged fearfully. They manu-
facture and consume great quantities of
fiery liquor distilled from potatoes.
This, with coarse bread and Quaak, a |
kind of sour-milk cheese, forms their |
sustenance.F Men, women and children
reek with the fumes of this direful |
liquor. Meat they seldom taste, and |
though they have many ducks. geese, /
ETC., these are kept only for their feath- |
ers and eggs. once asked b why
no one endeavored to, instruct and ele-
vate them, or to introduce better way |
of living. 40, my DEAR" was the an |
swer, ''thev have alsoays lived SO. New
ideas would disturb them and render
them unhappy. They are contented so.
Let them remain IN the condition Uhere |
God has placed them n'--Atlantic Monttlu. |
The Lyons silk-manufacturer gives
out the raw silk to the workmen, who |