The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-23
GERMANY AND GERMAN POLICE
COURTS,

A Belfast. Me-, lady now in Germany
has been writing some spicy letters home
to her family. They were not intended
for publication, nevertheless two or
three of them have been printed in the
local paper. From one of these we take
an extract. How would free America
relish such regulations as are described
so wildly. The fair writer says:
The difficulty of getting to Berlin is
nothing in comparison to the difficulty
of staying here. Miss X. informed me
soon after my arrival that | must get
passport and report to the police. did
not see why quiet person like myself
might not escape the notice of the Ger
man government, but she said they
would me out and fine me if | had been
here more than six days. The only way
was to submit as peacefully as possible,
so on Monday we called on the American
legation. where we received by a young
man, the secretary. who requested us to
wait till he had finished with the patient
already in the chair. When she retired
was called up. and this young man be-
ran the catechism What is your name,
and where was you bOrn?' Ills Eng
lish was not perfect, but his German
was eXcellent). etc, etc. | was prepared
till he came to "Ilew tall are youy' l
did not know. so they stood me up
against the wall and the young man
guessed feet 1, and hoped | would for
give him if he cut me short by a quarter
of an inch. Having made two copies of
my answers he handed me one, with the
request that | should read over certain
part of it to which found | was expect
ed to take oath. Fortunately my height
and the shape Of my nose were not IN
cluded in that paragraph. Meanwhile
the secretary had made third copy on
parchment. Then higher Official Is
called in who administers the oath. and
the secretary gives me the parchment, in
which promise to fight, bleed I'd die
for my country, and she in return re-
quests all persons to me freely and safely
pass, and to render, i'll case of need, all
lawful aid and protection. The next
step is to visit the police, for which we
take another day. My hostess procures
from her grocer, at penny apiece, three
blank forms. 1t seems great condo
scenson on the part of the government
to let you buy these things at conven-
lent place instead of going to headquar-
tiers. As Miss X. had already filled out
twenty-seyen of these for other members
OF Ilt ldlllllN Ellt lllillhS 0llA hh'No ttil
about it.and will find them at home. BE.
sides her own signature we must have
that of the landlord from whom she gets
her apartments. He keeps an apOthe
cary shop near by, but having gone there
we are told that he is at home. We seek
further and a maid is sent up who finds
him. | suppose he has to shave or take
bath or something of the sort before
his signature is legal, for we wait about
half an hour before the girl comes bach
with the forms duly signed. Now
think we have only to hand the things
in and that will be the end Of it. The
police station is narrow room, witt
desks on each side at which sit the Off
cials in green uniforms with brass but
tons. One OF them admits us Dehint
the rail. Miss X. is seated, present my
passport and stand like culprit at TIT
bar The forms that Miss X. has pre-
pared do not seem to suit His Higl
Mightiness, and conversation some
thing like this follows IN German:
He-Lydia S. Ferguson: what is tn
S. for?
SLe-That is the initial of her middl
name; she has two names.
He-That will not do. 1t must b
given in full or not at all
She-Very well; we will scratch it out
He-Belfast, Maine; is that one nam
or two?
She-Two; Belfast is the town an
Maine is the State.
Oh, Maine is State of the Unite
States?
Yes.
Protestant; is she Evangelical
Yes, Erdngeliche. lie was satirlie
with this, but if she had hesitated an
he had been led on to enquire whether
had been baptsed and had found | Ina
not, he might have summarily eiecte
me from the kingdom or immersed m
in the Spree.
He-Teacher; does she teach here?
No, at home.
No, at home.
When did she arrive?
The 18th.
But this passport is dated the 22n'
That ought to be the day OF the arriva
Very well; call it the 22nd.
Does she speak German?
A little.
How long is she going to stay9
A few months.
She should stay six months.
Very well: say six months.
While this conversation goes on u
official has been copying from my pas
port on another form. This finished
stamps the three that Miss X. has mac
satisfactory, presents one to her, Il
what purpose trust win not appea
The other two he puts in separate pigeC
holes in his desk TO be copied, | suppo
into one of the great books that stand
long rows along the wall labeled with u
names of different streets. Then at Ia
he bows out, And now il the palace