Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-07-28
LIFE in THE TYROL.
What an Artist Sees, travelling AfoOs-
Queer People and Customs,

Extracts from Private Letter. made for The EVEN.
ING STAR.
ELsENBAUM, NEAR STERTzING, IN THE TYRoI,
July7, 1888.
I am still painting in Castle Refen-
stein, but hope to finish about Tuesday, when I
will walk on to Brixena and Klausen. You
say you will take delight In looking over my
portfolio. Now, my friend. sketches are very
few: make nearly all my studies In oil colors.
These can use, as they contain everything ne
cessary to guide me; but a pencil sketch con-
tains nothing OF the color or of the correct light
and shade, and is almost useless, except in an IL
lustration. have now about 60 interest
ing, and, to me, valuable, studies. finish each
one to such an extent that can always use IL or
parts Of it. The temptation to pedestrian
artist In q, strange land is to make numerous
hasty sketches or daubs. These are rarely kept
beyond few months, and are good for nothing
as material for painting pictures from.
You will be surprised to learn that the peas
ants here bake bread only twice year. They
make 1t OF brown, coarse meal into round
cakes about six inches thick. After baking
these are hung In q cool room on a swinging
cage-like shelf, each cake separate, 90 that tho
air can circulate between them. They are then
used as needed. When dry they are 80 hard 1t 10 inn
possible to bite into the bread. They are cut
with an immense knife upon board. The knife
works at one end upon q bolt fastened In the
board The bread Is placed under the blade,
and the peasant throws his weight upon the
knife handle, and chops of q chunk. With such
q lever they could cut metal or stone. The bread
breaks, being too hard to slice. The peasants
soak 1t in milk wine or mush before eating It
is rather strong food, but not unpleasant. IL 10
good TO carry on railroad trip and gnaw on; q
stick three inches square will last all day. -"
The curiosity of the peasants about strangers
is annoying. You may imagine that the
country people in America are inquisi-
tive; but they can't hold a candle to
the Tyrolese. If one meets with
.'bouer, tue first questions he asks are: "where
DO you come FROM" Where are You golng3"
THAT'S your business" and SO on, until you
are desperate. 1 walked over to a village yes
terday. peasant saw me stop at a gateway
until q wagon should pass through. He left his
work, came to me and looked me all over,
when he asked in the simplest way where was
going. As gave him no answer, he continued
to ply me with questions until told him po-
ltely as l could it was none of his business. I
have had peasants pass me on the road, greet
me, and, after going few steps, stop and turn
about and stand silently, with mouth open,
staring after me until get out of sight. . !
Last night, when about going to bed. one OF my
windows was open. L was half-undrcssed
cleaning my teeth. Three grown gir@ came
to 8, the ,,v window oSr., and na, stared at me
loudly together, as IL I were deaf and the con-
versation was about the artist from America
who drinks milk and no wine. 1 waited a few
minutes and then invited them inside where
they could see me better. They Uttered and
went of. carried broad -brimmed hat some
distance through the valley, and every peasa MT
who met me, big, little, old and young, stopped
and asked me where got that hat and where
was going with it.
mother, a years old. She said she had an cid
dress. I snapped at the chance of buying it.
1t is heavy holiday costume, like the twenty
five pound one saw In Pfitsch Thai last SUM-
day. 1t is quite as fine, but weighs only about
these people always ask what they paid for the
article new. twenty or thirty years ago. She
told me she could cut 1t up and make three
good working dresses out Of it. got It at last,
dress with waist, collar, neck cloth and two
breast pieces-one for Sunday and one for
work-days-and skirt and frilled sleeves,
slashed, all for about $3.50. intend to paint
this costume In . picture this winter. 1t win
always be Of use to me, more or less, as Differ
emit parts Of Il eorrespo ari with parts OF Coz.
The peasants here are very religious They
pray before each meal. and when all are done
eating they suddenly rise, ana while rising.
begin to pray. Some 60 to chairs or benches.
to lead, but The Others break In when they
choose. One woman cleans on the table while
the praying 10 going on. Every minute d 20
some one yawnS In Q most noisy way. another
gulps like horse, and third talks to the ono
next him In loud tone. The prayer goes on
Though all Interruptions for o quarter OF an
hour. Then there is Q long silence after which
all rise up. - I have had no meat for ten
days, but have lived on peasants fare-milk,
mush, bread and breadstuffs still am growing
tat You will say, perhaps, / am only . uttae
bloated over my success ct Munich. 60
The holdings of the peasants here are vosy
small. The fields are seldom more than I've
acres large. The principal crops are potatoes
wheat enough to make the family bread, and
hay enough to feed few cattle; OF these tho
work out a2dget little money that way. D<1
the LIE Il o close one. 800 B.
Frederick N w. Crouch, author q the son..
ssKathleen Mavoumeen," has been rescued 6kUin
poverty by Q wealthy and eccentric Young
southerrer, JAMES Marian Roche, who ,aesumeS
his name and supplies eli the monay 4hat DC
needs. 1sssai