The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-01

crossed and conquered France. mon
uments on either side commemorative
the events, yet still the river flows on.
natural boundary between the nation
VIII CHI no occupation OF territory cal
oounterbalance A bridge, SAID to nav
been blilt by Caesar, Is still pointed out
but | confess that these bridges have
TOO modern look 10 me to impress m'
as do the old castles on the crags
and Weissenthrum. where the Frenci
army under the gallant young Hocn'
crossed on the way 10 Germany. ane
that at which William crossed MY
years later TO pay the score, hayea more
vivid interest for me.
As we approach The Mosellc we come
into
THE WINE COUNTRY,
and find the steep bluffs, almost noun.
taius. above the ilver. terraced from
bottom to top aud covered with vines,
each vine being trained mp a stake not
quite so high as tobacco stick. that Is,
about four feet. on which It grows m a
bush. the shoots of which are net over
few inches long. so that the entire
vine might be put into a colandor about
four feet long and foot in diameter.
The grapes are small. and green. and
not very sweet. In taste they do not
compare with our grapes. the finest
are those which grow on the slopes Of
Rudshein, and which are said To date
back 10 the time of Charlemague, who
observed from the window Of his castle
that the snow melted there earlier than
elsewhere. and had the vines planted
THE RIVERS OF EUROPE
are in general most Disappointing to 80
American accustomed % the mag
niticence of our rivers. The Thames,
over which the Euglish writers have
raved from time immem0rial. Is great
only from commercial standpoint.
and in itself is a murky black mixture
in which the chief element is mud. At
London 10 is about as wide as the James
is az Maiden Adventure. AT low
water il used To be f0rdable near
Charm Cross. but the tide is fourteen or
fifteen feet, so that at high tide it is
very deep, still no one can understand
bow at London it ever apIelrtd the
majestic king Of flood, and 1.-THE
best mirrOw that the world can show.
as English poets have sung d..
The Seine at Paris is like the Thames.
only not quite SO large and not SO black
above IL Is "A pretty stream, and only
this. The Danube is finer. but che
Rhine alone l. not disappointing. and
this is due not 10 Its magnitude. but to
its setting with its old castles hanging
above its clear waters. It's quaint yil-
lagos hemming Its marge and its de
lightful historical suggestIveness. Think
of 10, Caesar. Charlemagne, Napoleon.
Rome found IL across IT'S path 90 con
quest. Feudalism made here its home.
and ON It's banks had lbs last strong
hold. Printing had IT'S birth beside DO.
the reformation followed It's stream Ca
the open sea. It Is tie river Of modern
history.
An Engish gentleman whom we met
told me story nprOpOs of the Rhine.
which illustrates the American chamc.
ter as we'll as feeling. lie said be heard /
"a man on the Rhine once ask am Amer F
can If the rivers of America were .
really larger than the Rhine. "WhN.
you c0uld.nOt find 10 IN any One ot Cd T
dozen of our rivers. replied the Amer T
lean. well. our forests are greater .
than yours Queried the German
Not q bundle of toothpicks % them. f
was the answer. "Oh, but YOU have
not the old castles triumphantly dr-
'lared the German. "Ah. but we ARE
going 10 have them. good answer.
bat one which will never be- verified.
Blngen light seem hardly o. fulfill
-he reputation with which poetry ha-
endowed it. but 1 shall never forget nv
.iest view of Bngen. The recoll lection
)biferates AN other impressions. 10
Aa summer night and the harvest
noon was fun. The river W.. motion
gold. tine lights of the town were ,hI-
nOnd.. earth appeared rs beautiful as
Ieayen. just across the river 0n thp
Niederwald towers the great national
monument 'Germania. which cri4-
rates the conquest of France aUd thc
.iory OF Prussia. We travelled nith
wo German gentlemen. who were
brown into the highest enthusiasm Dos
be- sight of &C. They could not speak b
English nor we French, but ore OF them B
'ith flashing eyes aud wave OF his
and exclaimed, "Bingen. Metz. Paris 4
was comprehensive.
THOMAS NELSON PAGr. O.