Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-11-17
Lille In Germany.

A'D ih NOi
Simplicity is the rule of German life,
ana very winning simplicity it is. The
upper classes are not rich, ,snd live unos-
tentatiously; the upper middle classes.
comprising professors, lawyers, doe
tors, and q good many officers, exist
upon incomes which, according to our
notions, would seem beggarly, yet they
rub along comfortably and merrily, be-
Cause their women are so versed in
economy. In the richest German house.
hold the mistress superintends the
kitchen, and lends hand to the cook.
There are certain dishes which she al-
wsys makes with her own hands, be-
cad,.; der Fritz likes them 80. She may
boast thirty two quarterings on her es-
cutcheon, and be terribly proud of her
lineage, but she has no nonsensical
ideas about its being degrading to put
on canvas apron. lard piece of veal,
make jams, or dole out with her own
hands the prunes that are to be put into
the potato stew. She keeps her best
attire for Sundays, and makes it serve
on good many of these festal days,
for she does not follow fashion blindly
or in a hurry. On ordinary days she
dresses with plainness which would
excite the contempt of a Frcnchwoman;
but then her culinary pursuits do not
prevent her from being by far the intel
lectual superior of her French or Bel
sian sister. She reads serious books,
that she may be able to converse as
an equal with her well-taught sons
she practices music, that she may re-
main on level with her daughters,
who are trained to be brilliant pianists;
and she finds time to read the newSpa-
per, in order that she may understand
what her Fritz has to say about the
topics of the day.
The example thus set in high life bv
the "Frau Grafin" is copied in lower
spheres by the "Frau Doctorin" and
the "Frau Professorin." These ladies
keep no cooks; they perform most of
the household labors, with the assist
ance of maid-of-all-work, and when
ever practicable they do all the washing
of the family linen at home, and make
their own dresses. Withal, they are
very hospitable In homely way. They
delight in evening parties at which cafe
sandwiches. A carpet dance, q little
singing and music, round games, and
a good deal of frank Irritation between
the young people, furnish the diversions
ut these entertainments. In the winter,
several families club together to hire a
large room in which dreiSe-mdche 0it-
orally "make-bold'O assemblies are held
once a week. Each family brings a
certain quartum of the refreshments,
as at oldfashioned picnics, and dancing
is carried on within sensible hours
between seven and eleven p. m. The
object of these assemblies is to make
young people "boM" to diSport them
selves at more ceremonious balls should
they be cal lied upon to do so; in fact,
they are unceremoniOus dancing parties,
at which the guests appear in morning
attire, and expect no costlier beverages
mt supper than lemonade and beer.
The cheapest towns to 70 to in Ger
many are the capitals of small duchies.
Berlin has become very dear. Dresden,
Leipsic, Stuttgart, Munich, are all cheap
in comparison with English cities. and
they offer first-rate educational advan.
tages; but they will be found more ex-
pensive, on the whole, than such places
as Brunswick, Cassel, Darmstadt,
Weimar, and Coburg. Taking Bruins
wick rs n specimen of these second-rate
towns, it is place where family can
live in the utmost enjoyment and digni-
ty on small income. 1t is an old
fashioned town of picturesque architec-
ture; but the streets arc broad, and the
houses large, with spacious and lofty
rooms, wide cOurt-yards, and grand
staircases. Most of these dwellings are
let in flats, each of which has its sepa-
rate kitchen, with its wooden balcony
overlooking the yard, and separate
staircase for servants. A tep-roOm flat
Qurnished) can be had on first floor
in the best quarter for about $500 a
year; on a second, for 1925; and on a
third, for $50. But prices are lower In
the old streets on the outskirts of the
city. 1t is not the custom to let unfur-
nished, as almost all the houses contain
stock of old-fashioned furniture dating
from the last century, when the court OF
Brunswick was one of the most brilliant
in Germany, and when the city was
crowded with wealthy residents. Ithas
all the appearance of wealthy city
still, though the present Duke lives
most of the year in Italy, and does little
to attract strangers to his handsome
palace. 1t has university, GYM
nasium, public school for boys, sew
eral private schools, and q large acade-
my for girls; museum and public H.
brary, and noble theater. The Duke
chiefly helps to support the theater, and
for this much deserves the thanks of his
subjects. For many years the conductor
of the orchestra was Franz Abt, the
eminent composer, and at one time he
had the best quat,t0r of viOlinists in
Germany under his orders. Perform
ances are given at the theater four times
Il week, operas being performed on two
nights, and plays on the other two; and
the cost of SperSitz, or stall, is only
six thalers, or about $3.50 a month.
All the ducal cities have good thea
ters, as it is a point of honor with the
princelings who rule in them to show
they are enlightened patrons of music
and the drama. The theater of Coburg
has q well-deserved reputation.
Tourists will not find German hotels
cheap, even in the small towns, for
landlords have got into the habit of
overcharging foreigners, and nothing
seems likely to cure them of it; but the
restaurations are very cheap. A SUBJ
stantial dinner with beer can be had for
thirty cents; and in the braueries, which
officers frequent, a good supper, con-
sisting of plate of veal outlets with
fried potatoes, or bacon, sausage, sauer-
kraut, costs but fourteen cents, glass of
beer included. Schooling is as cheap
as in Belgium, and better, for the dis
position Of German youth is studious,
and the professors are stimulated by the
assiduity and sharpness of their pupils.
-Ha,per's Weekly.