The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-05-14
Entered at the Post-O Office at Richmond, Va, as
second-class matter.
CoRREsP PoNDEN CE.
Letter from Germany.
APRIL Goth, 1884.


Messrs. EdH0rs,- course an Amer
lean finds very little in a German city
that strikes him as being foreign, and
perhaps for this reason it may be of in
terest to lot down few of those things
that he does find to be different from
what he sees at home. AS he strolls
along the streets he will often notice II
horse pulling all by himself on one side
of wagon tongue, presenting lone
some and lop-sided appearance. A
German horse probably has no concep-
tion of the meaning of "Whoaw What
he does understand is Br-r-r"-the T.
being rolled ad Gbitum as we'll as ad
equum. 1t may also strike the traveller
as strange, to see carriage and hearse
built together to form one vehicle. For
infants the hearse part is quite small,
the coffin being placed sideways, I. e.,
over parallel with the axle connect
ing the two front wheels. For grown
persons the coffin is carried as with us,
and the family ride in the carriage,
which forms the last part of this long
compound vehicle.
Another thing soon noticed is that
the middle of the street is q favorite
place for policemen, especially if it be n
crossing where street-cars pass. He is
there to prevent collisions, and to save
pedestrians from being run over, an ac-
cident that entails fine, not upon the
driver, as we should imagine, but upon
the pedestrian who was careless enough
to let himself be run over. If our trav-
eller halls street-car he may have
the satisfaction of seeing the driver
look stolidly at him and drive on with
out pretending to stop. Then the
stranger learns that in German cities
the street-cars often have regular halt
ing places, and that he can get on only
at these. SO he walks on several squares,
till he comes to halting-place Of the
horse-iron-rOad," as the sign informs
him, where he may find others who are
waiting for the wagon Gas the Germans
call it), that they all may take ride.
He must tell the conductor how far he
is going, for the distance regulates the
price He receives a ticket with the
price on it, and on reading it he finds
words which Mark Twain would rem
der about as follows:
Save traveller, save with care:
Save to show you've paid your fare"
For an agent of the company may Jump
on any time and call for the tickets.
This mans business, Of course, is to see
that the conductors are acting honest
ly; in other words, he takes the place
of the immortal bell-punch
Several things to which we are ac-
customed, are lacking in Germany. The
familiar barber-pole is one. The Ger
mans use for this purpose from three
to six brass plates or saucers, placed
edge to edge, and hanging from rod
at right angles to the wall. In Austria
they are not so lavish of brass, and one
or two plates generally suffice.
Poor as Germany is and crowded as
it is with people who can barely make
the most wretched support, there are
two occupations almost entirely over
looked. Neither the boot-b black nor the
newsboy seems to be ga felt want" in
this great nation / do not think /
ever noticed a single boot-blaclI in Ger
many or Austria, though you find them
frequently as soon as you reach Italy
As to the newsboy, an American misses