Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-06-03

APosTLEs-A PEOPLE OF DOUBT
FUL NATIoNALITY--PATE
DE FoIE GRAs.
Strassburg at a glance announces its
location, and nothing more is required
to verify that it stands upon what was
at some time or other the dividing geo.
graphical line of the two great nations
France and Germany. Turn where
YOU may, its narrow and winding streets
bordered with venerable and quaint
looking German houses meet the eye,
whilst here and there the stereotype of
this line is broken by the introduction
of the architecture so familiar TO French
provincial cities.
Though it is probable that the major.
ity of the almost one hundred thousand
of her populace is inclined towards Ger
many, yet there are some who are not
exactly certain what their nation is, or
which side to applaud. encountered
one of this kind AS the train rolled into
the city. had made some inquiries of
him; at length he asked me whether |
was not English. Upon answering him,
| asked HIM his nationality. Laugh.
ingly, he replied, "Eh bien monsieur,
en- verite je ne sais pas. Je suis ne
Strassburg" well sir, indeed | do
not know. was born at Strassburg.)
Notwithstanding the city is German
to-day, and the imperial flag Of Germany
waves over all her public edifces, there
are thousands of her inhabitants upon
her thoroughfares who speak French
from choice. think ifyou were quiet
ly to button hole one of these French
speaking bourgeois, back him into some
dark and secluded corner, and there
csst off any German accent you may
have, and hurriedly ask him in pure
French which side of the political fence
he was standing on, he would first cast
about his eyes for some caves dropping
window, and if none was near, and he
felt he could trust you, it is more than
likely he would whisper in your ear,
that he was for the French republic
from his heart to his cuticle. Bismark
knows of the existence of this discon.
tent, but he knows, too, that this gene
ration of Strassburgers, is as whole,
past redemption; for how could it be
otherwise? But ten years since Strass.
burg patriotically furnished her quota
for the army of France that was to carry
the tri.color to the defenses of Berlin
against this same Bismarck, but Sedan
interfered, and the German took posses
sion of this Strassburg, whose fortifica.
tions he had hammered and pounded
to powder, and Strassburg, French
city. for almost two centuries suddenly
became German city. And now the
thing is being perfected, German di.
plomacy has concluded to make all the
young Strassburgers with French ten.
denotes German. 1t commenced at the
ground and worked upwards. 1t has
endeavored to change their vernacular
language, and to-day German has sup.
piled the place OF French in the schools.
Gradually the object is being accom-.
plished, by slow stages it is true, and it
will take little time and little perse.
verence. But like the tabled old wo.
may in the Greek reader, who lifted n
calf every day until she had insensbly
lifted an OK, Strassburg UiH by this
course, become thoroughly German /;
provided, of course another Franco Prus
sian war does not interfere, and tumble
her back into France.
The city outside of its celebrated ca
thedral and astronomical clock, has few
attractions for the tourist, and a single
day will suffice to exhaust them all. As
it's historical associations are virtually
minor to those compared to other cities
about it, therefore the traveller for in.
formation and pleasure generally de-
votes but few hours to it. 1t was in
Strassburg that parvenu trickster and
doubtful nehpew of his uncle (subse.
quently known as Napoleon III made
his first attempt to stir up rebellion in
France in order to advance his own in
terests, for which he very properly was
kicked out.
1t is in Strassburg they make the
"Pate de foie gras." Fat liver pie.
There is no society for the prevention of
cruelty to animals in Strassburg and her
industrious and epieurean inhabitants,
il is said, nail down the webbed feet OF
a goose to a board and straddling his
back, the Strassburger gratifies the raw.
enous palate of the fowl to excess (if
this sacred bird Of old Rome has pa
latell When he refuses to further take
the fattening food peacefully, it is for.
ced down his gullet until in the course
of time his liver becomes distended TO a
vastly abnormal size; then arrives the
final hour, and this swollen liver be-
comes the delicacy OF the bird, and from
it is made the pate de foie gras."
One hot day in June dumped my.
self down in Strassburg. had but one
object in going there and that was to
see the clock. Having heard and read
Of this ingenious invention since boy,
had been lei to believe it would be to
60 to Rome without seeing the Coliseum,
or TO Athens without seeing the Aero
polls were 10 go within radius of
two hundred miles OF Strassburg and
not go to see her clock so following
the current OF the curious, | went. |
have seen IL and feel relieved, but |
will frankly confess, that had known
then as much as do Low, il is hardly
probable that would have invested
over one hundred miles in that time.
piece. | do not mean by this to treat
the clock with contempt but ON the