The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-14

mitted themselves little Joke" SAYS the smart
sergeant. They escaped across the irontier
into Bohemia and then they wrote letter to
the commandment, and enclosed their photo
graphs, and described the manner OF their es-
iocosity of these Frenchmen. ne have seen
traces of sympathy for France and correspond
ing dislike for the all-devouring Prussia IN
other German provinces. Another prisoner at
tempted escape from ledge which seen from
above offers firm foothold, but actually slopes at
an angle OF 40 deg. He lay for three weeks in
the fortress hospital and died after peace was
declared.
schandau, where one generally passes the
night In Saxon Switzerland, is quaint and
beautiful town near the Bohemian border; the
Fo-sthaus, q curiosity among hotels, has gar
dens and terraces which touch the river. In
times of flood the town pays dearly for such
coquetting with the unstable fair; good Schan-
dauer must always be prepared to awake and
find himself on the desert island OF his own
house and to escape from his garnet window by
boat Just now the water is low and we find it
hard to believe the stone tablets set high over
our heads in the corners OF the house which
marx the rise and fall OF the great river.
We sail down it the next day into Bohemia.
The first Catholic town is Herrnskretchen,
and our good Protestant guide wears an air of
tolerant pity as he glances at the grotesQue and
giaring shrines and "holy pictures along the
road, concentrating some death or accident,
or simply as joys to the religious memory of the
passer-by. We are Off to the Prebischthor, of
whose mueh-lauded charms we are disposed to
pc critical; have we not swum in canal boat
ano seen lords? Before long we leave our carriage
and climb as we never thought to climb. This
is one of the rare cases in which virtue is not its
own reward. The gate is one of natures mar
yels, a mammoth arch natural bridge, in
whose calm presence we have no words; are
told that it is 100 feet wide, that its roof is forty
mansions, but figures, however veracious,
are Inadequate. From Its top one sees into
three countries, and its feet are rooted in the
foundations of the world. The blue air fires
the blood and clears the mental vision; we seem
10 float away from human letters aud limits
from the light haze the great snow mountains
rhprr us Ia
lost Atlantis. Near Is the great column OF the
Preeisehkegel. or ten-pin, real playthlng OF
the giants, last survival and memory OF race
which civilization swept away before the last
game OF bowls was finished, and on three SIDES
OF the rock bridge lies the bottomless ravins.
We now descend into the domains OF Duke Ed
mund of Glary. bent on seeing a rsylne named
for him, and which has been accessible only
within the present year; song ana
OF staircases, with balustrades roughly
made OF young fire trees. We come
we pierce during perhaps half an hour the
mountains side in short and tortuous tunnels
and arches when the path sinks before us; we
look for foothold, and 10. there is none. A slow
sweep of oars is heard, and gradually nears us,
a boat stops for us. we embark, ana float silently
down the green river, where the rocks give US
glimpses of the sky and temper their steruness
with the fairy mantle Of fern, where the light
white birches wave welcoming branches and
beekon US farther down the river, towards the
gate of the Elbe, which brings US IN few hours
back to Dresden.
Apart from the Weit-knOWn ART treasures OF
this city. there is much to be seen in the neigh
boring towns, and day is not too hard TO pass in
Meissen. We have seen the potters clay from
It's tormless mass to its brilliant metamor phosis
into masterpieces OF royal blue and Wasteau
genre scenes, and naturally must see the castle
where Bottger discovered the secret of porcelain
manufacture, Albrechtsourg Every prince and
princess OF the king ON OF Saxony who ever
reigned is portrayed in magnificent modern
frescos, or in hfelikc statues. Scenes from the
NE OF EIeetor Albert, founder OF the present
reigning house, and of his brother and co-regent
Ernest, over the walls, from the abduction OF
Kanfungen, and their rescue by a hermit ana a
wooJeutter, TO Al5erts victories in Holland
am the end OF his glorious life. Maurice OF
walls, which on the succeeding floor show
the victories OF man OF peace and
augustus the Strong in the laboratory OF Bother,
the alcnemlst whose search for the philoso-
piers stone or the elixir of life ended In dis
eovery more important than either Many of
the state apartments are filled with the golden
wedding gifts OF John the Good who loved this
AibreChtsourg, aud spent many hours in the IL
orary looAlng over the be.hai on his ioyal lit
Tie kingdom. We must leave the Elbe Tor the
Rhine aud its historic ruins, and confess to y
wild interest, dating from far-away childish
a gay 10 see above all the Mouse tower, where
the cruel Bishop Hattie was said to have been
deVoured by these generally despssed animals
Inc legendary tower seems TO have been erected
as awatchtower, and long-eherished and pet
tee honor l. forced 10 vanish into air, But in
an age which spares neither William Tell nor
geslne Are how can even a bishop escape?
II
berg and Its castle offer disillusions; the
memories OF the unhappy Frederick and his
Ehgiish princess haunt the walls as OF yore, ana
the biown-up tower has not been repaired.
but time and space are stern cred tors, and
we must on 10 Strasourg, the "W onderSchone
Stadt OF German volk song. This brightest
because most precarious jewel of the German
crown, has a rough and bristling setting of
iorts ana embellishments, and the sound ri the
bugie does not cease in her streets The river
III has been divided aud flows in two channe's
on either side OF the city, beside filling numsr-
Gus eahaIs, ana adding another beauty TO the
historic town. Our first recollection il of tbe
great unfinished cathedral, with It's world
Iauied and much describe clock, which goes
through It's programme at the stroke of II
ana brings procession of apostles to bow he,
lore a ngure OF Christ. The cathedral itself
cauhot compare with that OF Cologne. it, nm
Aulsaed towers are a hope long deferred: bnt
onee inside the glory OF its stained glass aud the
great rose window in the front seems TO rival
lne Gothic arches OF the former The church of
gu lhomas, Protestant, contains a wonderful
iinonument 10 the celebrated Maurice OF Saxonv
bLoveE OF Aarlenne Iecouvreur and victor in a
.nunared battles; Pigalle, the sculptor, gave
twenty years OF his life 70 this work, and his
Dust stands gazing at the figure of the man who
Inaqe france great during his life, and the
sculptors reputation after his death. Maurice
Ot saXony descends toward a half open coffin:
sne iid Is supported by grimacing Death.
FRANCE, Q young woman in tears, thEusss away