Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-09-24
THREE MONTHS IN EUROPE.
DOWN THE RHINE.

At 10 o'clock, Friday, July 30th, We
mount our wheels at Stratsburg and
begin our journey down the Rhine.
We are instructed to wheel to kahl, q
small village across the river from
Strasbourg, and then to take road
running north along the Rhine toward
Heidelberg. We soon reach the op-
posite side of the river, and along the
suggested road We spin at lively rate,
but in few minutes our way begins
to get rough, and there seems to be
but little travel over it for public
road down the Rhine, but our faces
are in the direction We wish to travel
so we press ON and shortly our road
divides out to narrow foot path.
We consult one another upon the
propriety OF continuing this route,
but some one reminds us that its the
mark OF cowardice to turn back, so
we move ON until our foot path is no
more, and the beautiful valley OF the
Rhine becomes fancy. We are
somewhere in q swamp with our faces
toward the north. To the right of us
we discover an embankment, and upon
it we push our way until we arrive at
point where a small stream inter-
sects the Rhine; we can wheel no
farther for its water in front and upon
either side OF us. In the distance we
discover a fisherman mending his
nets, we call for assistance and soon
his long narrow skiff shoots across the
waters, and We with our wheels are
soon landed upon the opposite shore.
We gladly fee him literally, and short
ly find the right road to Heidelberg,
and press On. Nothing occurs worthy
of mention during the remainder of
this days journey. We stop for the
night in the little city of Ettengen,
45 miles from Strasbourg. We reach
Heidelberg the following day early in
the afternoon. We find the city
beautifully decorated, for Festzug,
which is to occur the following week.
1t is the five hundreth anniversary of
the university and all Germany is ex-
pected to participate. Visitors from
all parts OF the world are focking here
to witness the great jubilee, and it is
expected to be one of the greatest
events in the history of Heidelberg.
We employ guide and visit the Cas-
tie and other places of interest. We
were not permitted the pleasure OF
seeing the Great Tun, as they were
filling it for the Festzug, the first time
since 1764, no visitors being admitted
for three days.. Think of it, my read
ers, a huge cask with capacity of
2S3, 200 bottles filled with wine to cele-
brate the anniversary of a University.
How would that do for an American
SCHOOL, Uncle Sam hasn't the only
red nose in the world.
The colleges of every country have
tastes and customs that seem strange
to foreigner, / suppose, and if the
German student would visit Harvard
or Yale they would imagine our boys
a tame lot of creatures, for in the
German University a fellow is con-
sidered a bastard if he hasn't the
pluck and the nerve to stand up be-
fore fellow combatant and have his
face cut into mince meat. 1t is ex-
pected that each student will fight at
least three ducls with sharp swords be-
fore completing college course, and
most OF them have occasion to fight
many more, for if student fails to
tip his hat properly or by accident or
otherwise pushes or comes in contract
with fellow student, cards are ex-
changed and a duel arranged. The
whole body is protected but the face,
and the one that can do more carving
in fifteen minutes is considered the
best man. The most skillful surgeon
in the city and a professor in the Uni
versity is employed by the year to
sew up the wounds, and he must have
plenty of business, for the display Of
frightful gashes upon these heroic
SONS Of Germany is simply terrible.
There are many things here that
Americans might criticise, but for all
that there is something about Heidel-
berg that lovers Of the beautiful ad-
mire-the narrow valley, the bread
plain, the vine crowned hills, the
woody heights, the green waters Of
the Neckar, the silver-fowing Rhine,
the venerable Castle ruins, the abund-
ance of contrast in color and form,
unite to compose one harmonious