New-York tribune., 1894-04-29
THE COUNT AT HOME.
LIFE IN THE GERMAN CASILE'
PATRrARCHAL EXIsTENCE-HAhNEsr HUME
BRATIoNs-OcCUPATIoNS OF
PRUsslAN MOBILES.

PRCssIAN MOBILES.
| Nowha-a in Europe have the old-time patri-
| archal relations between the territorial nooiiy
and the peasantry survived TO such an extent
as in Northern Germany. and in spite OF the
high standard of popular progress, enhghteh-
| ment and instruction that distinguish frusSia'
life in the villages and chateaus OF the aris'oc-
! racy has remained practically unchanged since
the DAYS of Frederick the Great. True, every
man. woman and child beyond certain age
knows how to write and read, the peasants
sons acquire certain acquaintance with the
outside world during their term of military ser
vice and the Herr Graf (Couno up at the
| Schloss receives his daily copy or the hreuz
| Zeitung"-the ultra-Conservative Berlin news
paper But in other respects things nave under-
| gone but little change since hundred years
aoo There Is lust as much respect and devotion
! on the par: Of the villagers as In days or yore
for the noble occupants Of the "Schoss." around
which the entire life Of the district centres; and'
on the other hand the Herr Graf and the
Gran Griffin" still continue to feel that they
! have obligations of a parental character to ful-
! ol tou,ard their peasants and that they are re-
| snonsible for their material and spiritual well
! fare The first person to whom the villager turns
| for advice and assistance in trouble is to the
| Count or Countess and the latter deem 1t their
! bounden duty to respond to this appeal In every
! case.
The "schloss." In fact. constitutes species OF
! terrestrial Providence TO the villagers-out a
Providence which can punish as well as lend Il
! helping hand; for the administration OF rural
justice is left almost entirely In the hands OF
the territorial nobility. and the Herr Graf' Is
usually the judge. and his gamekeepers the con-
stables. while the custodian Of the lookup Is
the sexton Of the parish church. 1t was
! visit at Reitweln with my old friends, the Count
and Countess Fink Won Finkensten. that gave
| me an insight INTO North German chateau Ire
! Reltwein s a large schloss chateau. which
WAS built about the time Of Frederick the Great.
and which has not undergone much change
since then There are acres of big rooms filled
with old-fashioned furniture. the floors all par
que,ted and waxed. but devoid OF carpets. and
the walls hung with ancestral portraits or piano.
| plies of arms. Space being object, the kitch-
on chimney alone occupies the Of a large
sized hail or room from the basement TO the
! roof the grimy rafters being hung with hams
! I'm process Of being smoked. There Is no neces-
| slty for brick chimneys seeing that the only
fuel used s dried turf. which shoulders instead
Of flaming. The principal dining-hall Is SUI
! perb apartment with at least dozen big win
/ dows looking ont on 70 the gardens and I'M
mense park by which the Schloss is surrounded
! Beyond the park walls is the village. and beyond
| that the pine and oak covered sand hills and
valleys which constitute 50 characteristic
! feature Of the northern and eastern provinces OF
| Prussia. II is useless. however To seek in this
or any other Og these old Prussan chateaus
! those modern refnements and luxuries which
! form So conspicuous a feature Of English coun-
try seats. The sanitary arrangements are OF
the most primitive character. Identical probably
with what they were a century ago. there
10 bathrooms equipped with hydropathic ap-
planes. and the beds are all OF wood. covered
not with blankets but with old-fashioned Ger
man quilts Nor are there any open freplaces.
but merely big stoves In each room. square In
shape reaching almost TO the lofty ceiling, with
burning turf therein and lined outside with por-
celain tiles adorned with the armoral bearings
os the family.
The Counts boys have their tutor A be-
spectacled and very precise theological graduate.
while his daughters have their Swiss governess.
who teaches them French with that somewhat
| ludicrous sings accent and intonation Of the
people inhabting the shores OF the Lake of
Geneva. But this education does not prevent
the Young Counts and ountesses-they all bear
their parents titc-from freely associatng with
the boys and girls 81 the village. calling one
another by their Christian names and using the
familiar pronoun OF "thou'-the only recognition
of rank being that the young Counts and Count.
esses are Invariably. and perhaps unconsclousy.
nermitted 10 assume the leadership IN all the
games In this way very kindly relations are
established between the children of the Schoss
and those Of the village. which subsist in after
life even throughout the military service Of the
Young men. when the peasants endeavor 10 get
themselves enrolled in regiments of which their
Young Counts are officers These relations GER
tainly tend to maintain unimpaired the old-time
patriarchial rds of affection and regard
The three principal events OF the year to
which Schloss and village alike look forward
! are the grand manoeuvres. the harvest festlVai
and Christmas 1t is the first Of these three that
brings the greatest amount Of life and anima-
ton into the locality. The manoeuvres involve
the so-called "Einquartrung" or quartering In
the village Of an entire regiment. and sometimes
even two. which, curiously enough. is regarded.
not in the light Of n nuisance but as an occa-
sion for patriotic rejoicing. The rank and file
are housed in the cottages and barns Of the
| peasants. while the chaplain surgeons. pay
masters and commssariat officers take up their
abode with the village pastor, the "Econom' or
land steward. and with the schoOlmaster. The
officers most Hospitality entertained at the
Schloss by the Count who on that occasion only
appears at the o'clock dinner. arrayed
either in evening dress with his decorations. In
| his Landwehr uniform or else In the picturesque
scarlet coat and big gold epaulets OF the Order
Of St John. 10 which most Of the territorial mag
Mates OF ancient lineage belong All the servants
are In grand livery. and so too. is the Counts
chasseur or "Jager." This functOnary. instead
OF wearing the ordinary everyday gray "Joppe.
or Jacket faced with green. is arrayed In a gor-
geous green and gold uniform with gilt pouch
belt has a horn-hied gold-mounted hunting
knife by his side. and stands behind his masters
chair 1t Is useless TO look for Partisan cooking
on such occasions as these, but what there Is