Omaha daily bee., 1890-11-30

travel on the cars brought me through the
industrial centers of Germany into the Rhine
valley to Cologne, with its grand dome, and |
to bonn with it's far-famed university and
classical hospital In the latter city l visi-
ted Beethoven's old home, a two-story house
on one Of the principal streets. II has been
renovated lately, the rooms having very
neat and cosy appearance. There Is the
same old piano which responded to the last
to hiswonderful touch. Back of the house
is small garden encircled by house-walls,
where he spent much of his time when COM
posing, so weare told by the boy who shows
us through. Next day we cross the Rhine
landing at Koenigswinter at the foot of the
we have the choice of either going up to the
top of Drachenfelson on the back
of little sure-footed donkeys or
taking the most modern convenience
for climbing steep hills the dented-wheel
railroad. Arriving on the small plateau of
this renowned rock we sit down to a table and
enjoy ice cream, wine music, songs and su-
perb view over the Rhine valley all at the
same time. Near us to a great height towers
the ruin of an old burg at the base of which
dragon was said to have had his lodging in
olden times. 1t is also said that he devoured
many a bold knight. Descending over excel
lent road we stop half way down the hill, at
the ''Drachenburg," new but empty CASTLE
belonging to a bachelor who does not seem to
know how to enjoy his possessions.
1.-THE weather being fine we imagine that a
trip up the Rhine during the balmy afternoon
and the moonlight in the evening would be
highly appreciated and so we board one of the
elegant passenger boats, reaching koblenz
within few hours, the favorite country
place of the late Empress Augusta
Her castle, with its magnificent parks, fronts
the Rhine, the shores OF which become more
interesting and beautiful with every mile of
| our journey. Old castles and strongholds are
| seen on every side of the river on nearly
| every abrupt rock or mountain, while hun
| dreds of small vineyards are laid out along
| the sunny sides of the hills. Darkness soon
| settles upon the scene which in course of
| few hours is illuminated again by the delicate
| rays of the moon, which now appears above
| the steep mountains that shrivel the bed of
| the river. AT Il sudden rectangular turn of
| the Rhine we behold the Loreley rock, while
nearly everybody on deck of the steamboat
| joins in the chorus and sings Heine's Loreley
| II don't know whence IL comes, this
| thought so fun of VICE. But the party is
merriment itself. This proves once more the
| saying to be true, that the German sings the
| Loreley when he feels best. We left the boat
| in Bingen at midnight, crossing over to
| Ruedesheim next morning. where we met an
| American IN great distress at the depot, as
| he could not make himself understood to the
| railroad officials. He felt like embracing us
for helping him out of his dilemma, and was
| glad to be one OF our party for several days.
| 1t was at this station, at the depot, too,
| where l asked Il lady behind the lunch
\ counter for glass OF milk.
| With smiles such as hang on Hebe's cheek
| and love to live in dimple sleek, told me that
| was the first person in her experience who
| had asked for milk in Ruedesheim, where
| some of the finest WINE is grown. When
| ever you take u seat at table in any res
taurant in the Rhine valley, and in fact in
most all parts of Germany tine waiter con-
siders it rs a matter of course for you TO
order WINE or beer.
''At Ruedesheim we boarded the open cars
OF another rcogged-wheel road leading up to the
national monument on the Niederwald from
where you delight in majestic view over at