Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-12
I'm Ancient ROthen burg.

Professor G. B. Wilcox. in the Advance
believe found in Rothenburg the queerest,
quaintest and one of the most antiquated and
picturesque cities in Europe have never seen
an American who had found his way to the
town. 1t lies on the outskirts, 80 to speak, of
the railway system of Germany. A rfckety
branch road-the seven miles of which it took
the train nearly an hour to traverse-ends near
one of it's gates. Nobody ever happens in Roth
enburg. He is there, If at all, on purpose. If
a young lady, whom met in Leipsic. had not
told so fascinating bit of history of it, and
painted so wildly it's medieval attractions,
Nuremburg, which lies on the common route
Of travel, is supposed by most tourists to be
the ideal of romantic old town of the mid
die ages. But it is nothing to Rothenburg.
The flavor of the nineteenth century is steal
ing into it. New-tangled ways and modern
Why, saw houses in Nuremburg that are not
day more than hundred and fifty wears old!
l was shocked by the sight of dozen, at least.
plate glass windows. There is gas in Nurem-
burg. They have street cars there. Some
of the city wall has been torn down to let in
more nineteenth century. But hardly sight or
sound within the circuit of Rothenburg breaks
In upon your medieval dream. The narrow,
dingy streets are lighted-so far as lighted at
abby lanterns. These are hung on wires
stretched across the streets. and are drawn in
by pulleys to one side to be replenished. Street.
rail or gas-lamp there is none The town is
Rugged completely around with turreted gates
And the towers, as they throw their arms ten
DERBY about their charge, look back to bid de-
fance to all modern intrusiOns. At some points
the very water in the mOat still sleeps in vener-
able stagnatiOn. As your omnibus rattles under
three or four successive arches into the silent
streets, the lingering echoes of our new era die
away behind, and you drop four or five centuries
from human history. You wander through the
little city (of not more than $500 in
habitants) wherever your feet incline.
and pass hundreds of houses. any one
Of which would be the chief 'lion" of
an American town. Most of them were stand
ing before the pilgrim fathers left Holland
many of them before America was discovered.
With their steep. towering, red tiled roofs. their
sculptured gateways and corner turrets for de-
tense and gloomy court yards, they look down
In lOrdly compassion on your freshness and
your upstart nation beyond the sea- Hour after
hour rOamed the streets, looking in vain for a
single modern house. Every street is paved
throughout, with not a sidewalk to be seen.
The primitive simplicity and naturalness of the
Rothenburgers, too, are charming About
every man you meet recognizes you at once as
a stranger. and feeling that the town owes YOU
courtesy, touches his hat with a cordial smile.
Not bad example for some of us Americans.
1t must be granted that the odor Of antiquity In
some OF the by4treets is slightly too strong for
the most romantic But one can pardon that,
and even overlook the torture-chamber, under
the Rathhaus (of which the present generation
is innocent) 10 consideration of all the weird
fascination Of the quaint old town.