Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-08-29
FROM GERMANY.
A Vermont Boys First Impre.sio,s
Sights aud scenes at Antwerp: Mt Col
ogne; on the Rhine nnd at FrieburC.

Sights aud scenes at Antwcrp. mt Coli
ogne; on the Rhine and ut Frieburr.
Frciburg, in Baden, July 81, 1895.
It is 10 days since I first set foot on the
soil Of the Old World. Antwerp was very
quaint ana picturesque, as ! supposed it
would be; and | should like to describe
some of its queer houses and the funny
ways OF doing things. The landlady of
the "fleur Dor" where | stayed kent
up the reputation of the Netherlanders as
COOKS during my too short stay in that
city | saw many amous pictures. among
them Rubcns' elevation of and descent
from the cross, in the cathedral. The Ant
Wcip cathedral, you know, is Gale the
noblest Gothic church in Belgium. 1t is
ON leet long by 200 wide with u roof SUP.
ported by l25 columns and spire over
41 rect nigh. lts interior, save for Access
sorry ornament in the shape of shrincs
paintings and great carved wood puinit.
seemed bare. In ST. Paurs, a later
church, with a less naked interior, | saw
Rubens' scOurgng of Christ and other
notable paintings, and the artificial cal
vary in the courtyard which contains a
reproduction of the Holy Sepulchre and a
ludicrous Purgatory, carved i'm wood and
painted.
] should have liked to get a view of
Antwerp from the cathedral tower but
my tiine was short, and the tower is far
more beautiful from a distant view than
from close inspection from inside At the
art museum J did no more than walk dill
gently from one room to another. | saw
more Rubens' pictures, mostly portraits,
some OF them very remarkable; some
Van Dycks, which rather disappointed
me, and one OF two Rembrandts, including
the familiar portrait of the jolly old
White-bcarded burgher in a black skull
cap. There were hundreds of others, OF
all sorts ana qualities.
The Rhine was splendid, | did not
realize until l actually saw all these
thnSs-great paintings, great cathedrals
ruined castles and vineyards-how much
really had longel to see them. There
was 3 constant feeling of lat last" OF
course | got a look at the Cologne cathe-
dral; but ! can't take time to attempt ia
describe it. At Maintz had a
which is big red sandstone
ediiice, much blackened in parts by fire
The inside is frescoed richly in the nave
and parts Of the aisles, with scenes Of the
Passion and with arabesques. The choir
and retro-choir, IL that is the name of the
space back of the altar, are very large
but not otherwise noticeable. There are
many tomb monuments in the aisles and
at the other end from the altar is an
other apse with raised platforms and an
other altar, as though at some time OF
other the uulIders had mad their compass
heeu!e reversed. In an open place neal
the cathedral the women from the gar
uehs around mad brought great loads OF
all sorts oil vegetables and fruit and the
square was jammed with the crowds OF
sellers and buyers.
There is something like it here in Fret
burg. In little square that has the big
name OF kartoffelmarketplatz the rude
wagons from the surrounding farms come
in with sacks of potatoes. In another
place is the Holz-market where people
bring butter tubs and baskets and fire
wood, etc. to sell.
The ways of the people here are inter.
esting. For instance great cart with
cordwood drives into a street and the
householder buys as much as he wants
The sticks are unlOaded at his front door
llr-h n Il