The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-12-24

lars would have thrown III. into fts), top
boots, and all wore caps of some sort.
The men were by no means partial to
hats. Some were eating and drinking,
but nobody drunk others were reading
old newspapers or playing dominoes.
The favorite theme of discussion was
America. Most of these people had
friends or relatives scattered over the
United States, from New York to Texas
and San Francisco. We did not halt
here longer than was necessary, and we
were warned by the ringing of cow
bell outside that the Is minutes for re-
freshments" were out So getting our
shawls, bags, and parcels together, we
piled into another "omnibus." This
time there were fewer passengers and
fresher horses, consequently we made
better time. There is always something
consoling in long ride if we know we
are travelling fast, and after an hour and
half our spirits were equal to our appe-
titles. The pastor and Fraulein Marie
met us with lanterns at the post-office,
and we were escorted over to the parson-
age, consisting of three rooms. One a
dining room, the second the Herr pastors,
and the third for the children and the
others (now three children and three
grown persons). This arrangement
though is only temporary, as the new
brick house with seven rooms will be
ready next week. AS the family was
expecting us, supper was not long in
coming. The young ladies helped with
the cooking, and soon we were sitting
around a snowy white table cloth, the
china used having been handed down
for generations. 1t was of a yellowish
white, with curious little grotesque fig
ures and narrow blue lines and borders.
l could not help thinking how father
would have admired the linen cloth and
napkins, and you the cold china" What
will you give me if bring you one of
these cups and saucers? The way we
aid dispose of ham and eggs, fresh butter
and milk You would have thought
four DR.. Tanners were making up for
lost time. We sat around and chatted
until 10 o'clock, and then retired to rest.
We did not stay up longer, as the church
service the next morning commenced at
g. o'clock AS the Herr pastor could
spare US no place to sleep in his house,
we were taken in by the school teacher.
He was just the sort of village school
master that one reads about in books. A
tall spare man, with high, bold fore
head which ran back till it was lost
among the thin, gray hairs somewhere to
the rear OF his head rather dark face,
because when school is out he farms.
that is, cultivates beets and potatoes) !;
prominent nose; clean shaved face, ex-
cept just under his chin, where a bristly
beard grew rank and coarse. But under
his tufts of shaggy eyebrows twinkled
two little brown eyes that just seemed to
shine when he looked at you. He had a
way, too, of seeing everybody in the
room without having to turn his head,
and this he could not do with ease be-
cause his neck was encased in high
stock collar which buttoned behind.
The sharp ends were like two little sails
piercing through his beard, and the ends
on line with the corners of his mouth.
Around this collar was an immense black
silk cravat, that if unwound, would pro-
badly reach around old Mr. Is middle
He wore high black vest which showed
no shirt, a long coat with tails. Ali
what tails they were-they alone would
have made an ordinary man a whole
suit. His slender shanks were covered
with breeches fitting like the skin of an
eel. His wife was just the opposite, a
tat, short woman, sleek and meek, with
big, rolling, lazy eyes, but with great,
good heart. This worthy pair received
us, and Herr M. lighted us up to the only
spare room he had, under the roof On
the way we had to be careful not to fall
on the apples and potatoes in the path
The furniture consisted of two beds, with
feather mattresses to sleep under, two
chairs, two bowls full of water on table
Instead of a carpet on the floor, we had
the pleasure of taking a lot of white sand
to bed with us. Few and short were the
prayers we said, with the window sing.
ing like ten-foot Eolian harp, and the
thermometer a few degrees above zero
But the way we did sleep was caution
The first thing heard the next morning
was at $50, when the boy came to get
the shoes. We did not put them out be-
cause we did not know whether there
was any one to blacken them. I called
out to him if he wanted them he could
come in and get them as it was too cold
to hand around shoes for his private
amusement. He took them away and
did something to them, for when we tried
to put them on they looked and felt as if
they had been painted, so fresh, so wet
80 sticky were they. Tt was funny to
hear S. and me discussing and arguing
I'll - 4 1