Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-09-17
THREE MONTHS IN EUROPE,
RHISELASD,

| We mailed our last letter at Bar lie
Due, but we will not take the time to
describe our journey before reaching
| the frontier. We were assured that
we had crossed the line by meeting
squads of students here and there
with their parcels of school books, a
thing we had not seen ON a trip Of more
than 400 miles in France, except in
Paris. The next object OF interest
that met our gaze was the German
soldiers, who surpass anything We have
seen on our trip in the military line.
Thursday night We lodge at Savern,
"a miles from Strasbourg We are off
early in the morning, and nearing the
city we climb long hill which over
looked the beautiful valley Of the Rhine
We have hardly reached the top when
the great cathedral looms up in the
distance and to the right and tu the
left of the city rs far as we could look
the valley appears as level as quiet
lake, the hills upon either side shoot
ing up like mountains and fade ont in
the dim distance. We put on little
more steam and soon reach the heart
OF the city, being able to ride our
wheels the entire distance up hill and
down between Dieppe and this place
But We are now in the land Of sauer-
kraut and limburger, and what of it,
Well We observe that many of the
people of this section develop different
physically speaking than do the citi
zens of central and western France,
and we conclude that the beer so cele-
brated for 400 years, and manufac-
tured at Strasbourg, possesses the
same initiating qualities as our Ameri-
can beverage We call lager. Please
don't get the idea that Frenchmen
don't imbibe, for they drink most any
thing else but water. That was made
for the lower animals and to sail ships
upon. A Frenchman told me in good
English that he had not tasted water
for three months, but modified the
statement n little and acknowledged
that he had used the fluid few times
for cleansing his teeth. After careful
observation We are impressed with
another fact, that this country, both
France and Germany, though as beau
tful as God and man can make it, is
terribly hard on women and dogs, the
dogs having it the easier of the two.
Many from the county do their mar
keting in small carts, and its COM
mon thing to see a woman and dog
hitched up together going to town
with their load of truck. We very
seldom see the man of the house ON
market days, so We conclude he stays
at home to take care Of the babies.
If there is work to do in the vineyard
or garden, the weaker vessel straps
her long basket upon her back, takes
the dinner and tools to be used, then
away she goes to return at night, a dis
tance of perhaps several miles with a
burden heavy enough to break DON
keys back. The other part, that some
one has seen fit to call a man, carries
little Of the respect and love he had
during the honeymoon, and concludes
that the wife has load enough and
walks. Poor woman, and yet she
seems rs contented and as happy with
her lot as the proprietor of so valuable
a piece OF property. We have reasons
to be thankful for many things that
we enjoy in this world and especially
are We grateful for the privilege OF
travelling abroad in country so ma
ture with age, so beautiful, so full of
romantic history, but paramount to
all of this are We thankful that not
many centuries ago child was born
and named Christopher, and that he
lived to be man and conceived the
idea that the world was round and
sailed westward upon the unknown
and discovered land that we are
proud to call America. Ladies, what
do you think about it?
We are in Strasbourg "the won
derously beautiful city," as it has been
styled of old, and as We observe the
odd construction of some of the very
old buildings, the peculiar but pictur-
esque dress of the Aisatian and Baden
peasants that swarm the streets on
market days, and become more ac-
quainted with the history of the city
and people, we are much impressed
with the truth of the saying, that the
great attraction of the city is the ca
thedral and clock, together with the
Cologne cathedral, the Minister of
Strasbourg ranges as the noblest crea-
ton of medieval architecture, exist
ing in Germany. 1t is built out OF
the red sand stone of the Vosges which
by its durability preserves even to this
day the finest sculptures as if they
had just left the workmen's hands.
Tradition tells up that upon the ground
where the present cathedral stands
stood an old heather temple consecra-
ted to Hercules, which was destroyed
some time in the 4th century. The
present building was completed in
1865 and though it has been consider
ably damaged by war especially by the
bombardment OF 1910, it has been
repaired and to-day is in fine state Of
preservation. As far back as the year
1852 may be traced the existence Of a