The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-08-02

BILE of accommodating 100000.
The next day we enjoyed delight.
full sail up the river to Mayerce. The
whether was faultless and the numer.
GUS steamers plying up and down
the river gave additional attraction
to the natural beauty Of the scenery.
Mayence is situated at the confluence
of the Rhine and the Main, and be-
ing a place of great strategic impor
tance in addition to the Notifications
heretofore at this place new works of
great magnitude have recently been
added. In driving through the city
we were shown an interesting Roman
monument and other venerable re-
mains, among them tablet in men,
ory of Fustrada. the wife of Charlie
magne. In 3 square named by Napo-
leon the ''Guttenberg Platzy" we saw
the handsomest monument to Gutten-
berg, executed from design By
Thorwaldsen, and paid for by contri.
buttons from all parts of the world.
In looking upon this statue We could
but reflect how little the original knew
Of what foe to oppression and wrong
he had invoked and what q contribu
tion he had made to the Improvement
of his race by his great discovery.
Heidelberg is beautifully situated
on the river Neekart In eur eyes its
great attraction is the University; 8
plain, venerable old building. from
whose walls have issued some Of the
|ripest scholars in Germany. The
students, of which there are at pres.
ent 1900, are generally divided into
different corps, between which jeal'
ousy and bad blood often exist. Duels
are sometimes fought which the au-
thorities are unable to prevent. Some
of them are peculiar. only one of
which l will mention as related to
me by q person who witnes ed the
funeral. A challenge was passed
and accepted between two students.
They we're in earnest. There was no
dress-parade about it. They agreed
to draw lots as to who should kill
himself and the one upon whom the
lot fell had no alternative but to car
ry out the agreement. Did su, b rules
prevail in our sister State of Virginia
what Affections sue would have es.
capped
A magnificent old building Of the
18th century. half fortress and halt
castle, stands in commanding posi-.
tion above the city. Still grand in
its ruin, full of historical associations
aud picturesque in its situation, it
must be seen to be appreciated. In
one room of its cellar we saw an i'm.
mense cask we thought the largest in
the world, but we're mistaken, for in
the adjoining room is one said to
contain 283, 200 bottles, or about 800
hog sheads of wine. and which has
been filled several times. In front OF
this cask is q picture Of the court
lester who always drank from fifteen
| to eighteen bottles q day. Think OF
the carousals held in this old castle
| in former days. and say whether the
world is not improved!
We were anxious to SEQ what We
had not seen since leaving America
and attracted by the Lame, We hasten
ed ON to Black Forest. To reach this
place we passed through highly
cultivated section Of country where
the people were chiefly gagged in
gathering hay. and upon returning
from the mountain we were surprised
to find quite little snow in these
green meadows. The forest itsei1
does not differ either in products OF
characteristics from the mountains IL
the western part of the State Win
the exception that they are not n'sn
and the country not SO wild Win US
The population is chiefly Morsvlan
and like those people with Us thes
were courteous, intelligent and as fsr
as ascertained prosperous.
lhis is the great lumber region OF
southern Germany. The trees are
felled during the winter, carried to
neighboring streams. fastened togeth'
er and upon the rise of the water in
spring these RATS are cut toee IN