New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-08
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TRAVELS IN GERMANY.

acnrsd ewes finds moro to blame than to praise.
He shows an admlring appreciation Of the honesty
of tho Germans and of their promptitudo AND IN
curruptibility in administering justice; he takes
delight in their music in their trait OF thorough
ness in their sobrety aud their faculty for ENJOY
ing themselves in simple ways-for the rest ne has
many faults to find. He grows impatient In con-
ten plating the enormous standing army winch
@demorslizes the dignity of labor and produces
military aristocracy that shups labor and ignores
all trades and professions and those engaged IN
themv The degradation of the women OF the
lower classes to the position of beasts of burden he
in especjally severe upon. To SEQ woman toiliDg
in the fields or bending the street of city under
n hack breakine load continually fills his chivaric
American ssul with disgust and Indignation
In his criticism of this phase OF German life Mr.
Rugeles Ike many other travellers in thu land oil
the Kaiser is hardly just There Is sole struggle
for existence among the crowded poor IN Germany
1t means almost invariably with them work or star
vation. The women and the children are forced
nv circumstances to contribute their share toward
the daily meal: wages small that the head
of the family toll rs he NAV, cannot unaided Ill
all the hungry mouths 1t is net 50 much the doc-
trine of masculine supremacy as IL ls iate tuaI
creates the state of things lamented and objur-
gated by the average traveller 1t is matter for the
political economist to consider rather than for the
critic of social traits
Mr.. Ruggles is strongly opposed to foreign uui-
versties Tor American students. lie holds that III
the United States they would not only have equal
facilities for study but would save time; and that
n majority Of the young men who enter German
universities come out demorallzed. His pictures OF
the rolhcking beer-driuking duelling life IN the
university towns will not be encouraging to Amer
lean parents His description of p duelling scene at
Heidelberg is q good example OF his literary
manner:
The duellist who first attracted my attention by
his gory face was evidently getting the worst 81
the battle. AT every encounter he received lresn
wonnds and imagination could not picture q
worse sight than he presented. Blood was moving
down his face and body like ram and forming HtIe
pools in the sawdust that was scattered around
his feet. .
had witnessed in Spaln only this was the more
brutal aud lnhuman of the two. 1t seemed every
moment as if the man would from the loss OF blood
fall back dead In the arms of his comrades who
were watching the conflict with terrible eagernrSs
and suspense. But not for moment did 10 snow
signs of weakness or a disposition TO give up TIC
combat. Two three times he sgnalled Tor a rest
that his friends might wire the biood that haa
gathered in his eyes and blinded his sight
glass OF water that was held to his lips became as
red as port wine from the blood that Moved INTO u
IRON his face, but noticed that he drank IL all
the -,
His adversary it was evident. was at the end to
be the champion although he had received some
bad cuts Que of which came near severlng us nose
He was the superior swordsinan, aud had gwen
FIVE wounds where he had received enc. The man
opposite him. the bloody man, was TO he the " under
DOG in the fight" The contest had lasted thirty
m.nutes,-t seemed hours, sand would nave con
tnusd until one had been killed, had not the TWO
amined carefully the wounds OF the under dog.
pronounced them so serious that the hght was de-
clared at au end and the two gadiators. leaning
and partly supported Oh the arms OF thsr brother
students were led out into the hospital I" nave
their wounds dressed.
Thus ended the second duel, which fvnght by
member of The white-csp and one Of the green-cap
corps. The third duel. which was next 10 ta LAKE
There are five separate corps IN the university
Which designated in the streets by the color OF
their caps.-the whites, reds. blues, greens ana
yellows Among the 800 or 900 students IN Held
slberg. only about sixty belong TO them. Inc
white-caps are the most numerous, and they number
about sixteen The corps are very arsi ocratic and
very select. The members are supposed 10 Deions
to the nobility and TO the best German am ,;
veins To become "A member il requires as much IN
fuence diplomacy and red tape as to belong to the
mitted is under the necessity of fighting dres that
is they are not under the necessity, but u they
don't fight they are tabooed as towards. ara nelnci
berg yOuld become an uncomfortable place of resi-
depce for them ever after. If they don't volunteer
the president of corps volunteers them or rather
appoints then. meet ad yersaries aud then there
Is no showing the white feather; they must fight,
and they do. ,.a
ept CORPS with one two exceptions. were present:
They all appeared &c be over twenty-five years OF
ie tbnk .hss we're bali DOZEN among them
H f.rss did not hear evidence of these bloody
conflicts Their CHEEKS and foreheads were SCARED
and furrowed by deep wcts crlsscrossin9 each Other
and occasionally furiowing down through the
mouth and chin. i observed that the noses OF TWO
or three had been grated ON and had badly healed
The waiting for TIE third duel long and tedi;
ous The sword-sharpener, an old gray,hea9ed
man came into the hall two or three tunes, bearing
freshly ground weapons, which he placed i'll con-
yenient positi ns Another man came ana scattered
frest sawdust to cover the blood where the last
n hat w follow
might not stand Oh slippery places" IL WAS IKE
the little episode IN the spanish bull-hghts when
the arena las been cleared Of the dead bull and
horses and occasionally the dead bull fighter. and
the attendants come in with rakes and sawdust 10
pblterate the traces OF the bloody c9hulct.
Through the open door Of the hospital room could
zee the surgeons aud students washing the bloody
bodies and patching mp the wounds Of the two who
had Just fought. while others were dressing and
nrenarnc the two who were neat to measure
Ere Iynr ! heard the noise of hurried footsteps
and the NO men came striding into the hail. each
surrounded by several friends and surgeon sup
porting their SWORD arms. The first glance at them
with their black goggles, muhted throais etc. re-
minded me of professional divers with their armOr
on ready for service. There no waiting or hest
tatng in moment inc I'm, men Mero ths s0 sigcal
tIyen ana the bloody work began IN earnest
was told that this was an affair Of honor" and
that some afront or imagined Insult was to be can
celoa or wiped out with blood. II seemed an
uneven match. One was tall, powerful athlete
while hs adysr'y Ky, WAS sa du Isd the Victory
more apt 10 so with thu SMALLER and more agie OIL
e;nsiiv ths small man received blow OH the
head which was to end the days sport" Al
though twenty feet distant, | heard the sword
strxe the skull with peculiar thud; wreh smem
the floor from his head. and could see by the
twitebng of his body AID the partial closing OF ms
sves through the steel goggles that the blow had
nearly stunned hun. In moment his face was
covered with blood. which flowed freely down hs
body and formed pool in the sawdust at his feet.
oda liz