Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-01

story Is tnat once there was beautiful pr1n-
cess, who was to marry q great, ugly giant,
and they rode to the temple, he on his
powerful magic horse, and she on white
palfrey. When in the temple, the bride sud-
denly ran sway, and mounted the giants black
steed, ana he pursued her on the little paiprey.
When she came to the Hexentanzplatx, her
horse bounded across the gorge, leaving the i'm
press OF his hoof on the Rosstroppe. The giant
followed; but the palfrey being unable to leap
such distance, the palfrey and rider tumbled
INTO the gorge. The princess. IN her Wild flight
through the air, dropped her golden crown into
the Bode. and it has never since been found.
Whoever finds it will have complete happiness
the rest OF his life!
Some Of the wild haunts that tempt the visi-
tors to the Hartz are reached with no little dam
ger. Descent over loose rocks, down the noun
tam side known as the witches stairs" Is
summed as extra hazardous; yet though per-
maps 1oolhardy this feat we performed to the
horror OF the people Of the neighbOrhoOd, with
no small ecat, however. to ourselves. and also
to the tremendous and admonitory aching Of
our limbs for days afterward.
THE PLACE FOR NERVOUS PEOPLE.
There Is something in the atmosphere Of the
Hartz most soothing and healing to the nerves
For this purpose many persons resort to this
region, and consequently nerve-soothing insti-
tutions are to be found in nearly every village
The visitors are mostly Germans and Holland
ers, with some English; but not many Ameri-
cans, ubiquitous as this race are supposed to
De- The American who comes here, II he enjoys
the distinction Of being regarded as curiosity,
may be quite happy.
To give you an idea of the military power and
discipline of Germany, there are in this little
village of Blankenburg alone no less than six
hundred soldiers with officers in proportion. and
a great casern, or barracks. The presence Of
the soldiers, with their lively music and bright
uniforms serves to enliven not little the sleepy
fhn, cs,, frN1ly hnr1
worked and Overtaxed and impoverished in
order that
THE GREAT PARASITE, THE ARMY,
may be kept up in its wonderful brilliancy and
discipline, consent to be amused with the
chains that fetter them. The problem is, in
deed, difficult one-for what would the coun-
try do without It's military defense, surrounded
as it is by hostile nations which are kept at
bay alone. by fear of this same power-the in
vlncible soldiers? The poor peasants, however,
must pay for 1t most cruelty. The women seem
to work even harder than the men, some
toiilng all day long in the hot fields,
while Others, possibly more fortunate. walk
around with mOnstrOus baskets on their backs,
heavily laden with variety. of small wares
which they offer for sale in the gardens belong
ing TO the houses. more industrious people
| 1t would be hard to find. Invariably, If we meet
| peasant woman with basket on her back,
will at the same time carry child strapped to
her back. fastened by queer sort ofcape made
| for the purpose.
PRIMITIVE FARMING.
The methods of farming are primitive; reap
| ing is done by hand with asickle; and the other
| day saw practical illustration of what had
before only read of in poetry-a man beating
out grain upon the barn floor with the well
poised treshing fail" These good people with
their laborous toiling and such pinching econ
omy as we Americans never dreamed of. exc
out but a scanty subsistence, and with their mar
row ideas and primitive modes OF life
are quite astounded by the frequent
lavishness Of travellers, and not little
shocked are they at the practical
ways of English and American girls. who sud
denly appear among them to spend few weeks
| In wild tramps attired in flannel dresses. and
intent upon making what the quiet citizens
regard as the maddest escapades.
In another letter 1 must tell you of trip to
Rubeland-iron district-where there Is an inter
esting cave; also of trip to the "Brocken. u
| better known to readers through Goethe's
| Faust aud Mendelssohn's Walpurgs Nocht.
| IRENE BAUMGRAS.