The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-05
LIFE In NORTH GERMANY
Observations Among the People on
the Baltic Shore.
AMBER MINING IN SAND "DUNES"
Habits, Manners and Customs or the Ma
tives-How They Live-German Cook
ing is Greasy-Houses I'm the Towns
ANN m. suts NJ shs psaule

ing ts Greasy-Houses I'm the Towns
| Amusements of the People.
During residence of lengthy period
as Consul for the United States in north
| Germany found much to interest and
! instruct mo in that little known part OF
| the world, the Baltic country, writes Will
liam Macon Coleman, in the National
Tribune.
There is a fxedness about German
habits Of thought and life of which we
Americans can hardly form a conception.
Go back to village or community in the
United States after the lapse of twenty
five years, and you find everything
changed. There is change in views and
opinions. Old residents have removed
and new ones have come in. There are
new school houses, new churches, new
public buildings, new private residences.
You hardly know the place.
Not SO in Germany; there you find
there has been no change. The same
buildings which had been standing for a
hundred years or more are there still,
and no new ones have been erected.
There is no new grocery store or black
smithshop. There has been no change
in business. People have died, it is true,
but their children or successors have
kept up the business in the same way at
the same place.
The inhabitants along the shores OF the
Baltic are the hardest in Europe. 1t was
here that Gustavus Adolphus levied his
troops, and to-day the Pomeranians are
the flower OF the German army. The
usual industries are fishing, seafaring and
gathering am ber.
The "dunes," as they are called, are a
line of sand hills running parallel with
the shore, where the sand from the sea,
drifting before the north wind, has been
sccumulating for centuries. These hills
are mined for amber. Amber is also
found wrapped in the seaweed, which 10
thrown upon the beach in great quanti-
ties after a storm.
The food of the common people is rye
bread, herrings, and vegetables. They
also consume enormous quantities of a
cheap intoxicating liquor made from po-
tatoes, called "kummel." At Copen-
hagen decanters filled with this spirit
stand on the tables in the restaurants, in
the Tivoli gardens, just as vinegar and
other sauces do here, and all comers may
help themselves at pleasure without
charge. The population OF the interior
country is agricultural, and the products
are wheat, rye, barley, the grasses, and
cheese and butter.
The houses in the towns are built OF
brick or stone, with studding in the in
side, which is lathed and plastered. The
rooms have each an immense earthen-
ware stove, which js glazed and orna-
mented on the outside, about three feet
by two in size, and reaching nearly to
the ceiling, eight or nine feet in height.
L. ,.x L.
are two sets Of sash with space of about
six inches between them.
The weather is so intensely cold in
winter that the frost forms an eighth of
an inch thick on the panes of the inner
sash during the night.
The food corresponds to the climate.
The favorite meats are pork and goose,
and now here in the world are such large
There are sausages in endless varieties,
and you can always be sure 10 get what
you call for.
There is no misrepresentation or adul-
teration of food in Prussia. It is grave
crime, and punished with heavy penal
ties. The Prussian law looks upon this
offense as worse than obtaining money
under false pretenses, because in addition
to this fraud it destroys the health of the
purchaser.
Fish is another prime article of food.
Fresh fish are always sold alive. Buying
a dead fresh fish would be an abomina-
ton to a Pomeranian.
North German cookery is greasy.
Roasting anG frying are the usual native
The English have taught them
how to broil, but this is not indigenous.
There are three meals day, and the
first Ia taken in bed. 1t consists of coffee
and biscuit only.
One might suppose that this was a lazy
practice, but 1t is the very reverse. You
DO not want to remain in bed after the
stimulant of acup Of strong coffee. The
second meal, or, as it is called, " break
last with q fork" is more substantial.
II is about the same as our lunch, bread
and butter, and cold meat or eggs, with
wine or beer. Dinner is ready at 8 or
D. m, and exactly corresponds to a regu-
ar hotel dinner here.
1t remains to mention the amusements
of the German people. And this is the
most pleasing and interesting feature OF
heir life. To begin with, there is none
of that reserve and suspicion OF strangers
y shich is characteristic ofthe English and
americans.
Sunday is the great day for amusement
md recreation.
On Sunday afternoons in the warm
y Gather you can see thousands OF both
'exes and OF all ages, from the babes up
% the tottering old men and women, on
oot and in vehicles pouring out of the
'ity gates going to the various resorts
outside the walls. Little steamers, gay
Y decorated and enlivened with music,
warm on the river to carry the crowds
o the different river resorts. Here is
merry and many colored life. Music is
,eard on all sides, long line OF
lancers are winding in graceful move
nents over the greensward; on the plat
orms they are turning in the German
waltz.
The Older people and children, gathered
n family groups, are seated at tables, or
IN the grass, eating cakes and other pas
~ and drinking wine, beer, chocolate or
offee. Thercsnre trapeze performances
md rope dancing in the open air, and
ongs are sung, solo and i'm quartet. The
ummer theatre, too, comes in for its
The cheapness of these
,.,,,..,..o,ts ,,uts them wit hin ba reach