Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-07-18
DRESDEN, June %.


DRESDEN, June %.
Doesn't the tine go quickly! 1t is
nearly two months since we left New
York. We have improved all the time,
surely. Such lot of excursions as we
have been on! The last one was visit
to the china factory at Meissen. Quite
large party from our pension went, nine
in all.
Mrs. w. took along the copy of the
Syracuse Herald that contained an article
Miss w had written on "Royal Nielsen
China" This got the foreman, or SUI
periutendent, kind of interested in US,
and mamma told him you were an editor
SO he gave us a great deal Of information
that We otherwise wouldn't have got.
The process of making this famous
china is very much the same as that used
in making ordinary china, but it was all
so new to me that | enjoyed every min
ute. We were allowed only half an hour
to go through the factory.
The only real difference between this
and other china is in the material out of
which the articles are first modelled. The
secret WAS discovered by an alchemist
who had been imprisoned by one of the
kings for failing to keep his promise to
make gold. In his experiments he found
out how to make this china. 1t has al
Ways been kept a secret by the govern
ment, and is only known to three men,
who make up q lot Of the stuff and send
it to the factory every week. These men
have to pass examinations, and swear an
oath of secrecy before they can take the
positions, which are life ones.
Eighteen hundred people are employed
i'll this one factory, and all of them have
studied six years in school under the
direction of the government. They are
paid very good Wages-much better than
most German workmen get. Sometime
soon am going to write this up and
send it to THE AMERICAN.
This morning we went to the Catholic
cathedral, and this afternoon We expect
to 90 to a fair that is being held here.
These fairs are held four times a year in
place of the usual market days. Booths
are erected, and everything is sold, from
pins to china ware. The beautiful glass
ware, Dresden china and fancy work are
the things that take the ladies' eyes.
The cat hedral just referred to is the
church that the king attends, and is
joined to his castle His majesty was
there this morning. Nearly every Sun
day morning one of the noted singers
from the opera sings there, but TINS time
none happened to be present.
The treasury of the royal family of
Saxony is called 1.-The Green Vaults" and
is one OF the notable things in Dresden,
and it can be ranked only with the ia
nous collection at Vienna as the most
unique collection OF vauables on the
Continent. 1t occupies eight rooms III
the lower part Of the royal castle, and
comprises not only the silver and jewelry
OF the royal family, but great many
works of art of the sixteenth and seven
/ teenth centuries.
In one of the sets of diamonds there is
large green one, and 1t is usually
thought that the name, Green Vaults,
comes from that, but the name was gwen
4 long before that diamond was added to
the collection, SO it is thought to have
come from the original color in which he
rooms were decorated
Beside the crown jewels, one OF the
most attractive things is clock in the
shape of the Tower of Babel; it was made
in 1902. Every minute little crystal
ball comes out from the top and runs al
around the building down to an opening
at the base, whence it is jerked up again
by mean of chain, wheteon Saturn
strikes small bell every minute. Soh,e
small figures around the base represent the
planets aud the musicians; these We're
/ formerly movable. and were connected
with set of chains.
JUNE l7-This morning Helen and !
went to school rs usual, and after dinner
we all went ON an excursion to Tharandt
In this town are the ruins of all Old
castle, and also the palace Of Count
Szuminisky. We rode about half an
hour on the cars to the town. 1t Is a
short walk from the station TO the steps
that lead up to an old church; this Is
connected to the castle by an under
'ound cellar.
Only small part of the castle remains,
and it has not been occupied since 1000,
/ 1t is so old that not much is known about
the building of it. The widow of Prince
| Albric was the last person who occupied
/ it. Part of the ruins was used in build
ing the church, and only one corner OF
the castle itself is left. / enclose some
flowers that l picked at the foot of the
ruins.
A little below these ruins is the counts