The record-union., 1895-05-06

Germans always talk at table, whether
they have anything on their minds or
not.
1t will be hard, however, to talk all the
time without saying something and that
Is just where the foreigner will get him.
self into trouble. He will, perhaps, men,
ton something about his own country,
which will prove very unpopular topic;
for the Germans OF this class want to
know OF no country except their own,
and not much about that. He will tire Of
f1atterlng their own very admirable inst-
tutlons in the course of time, and will
come down at length to matters of real
interest, such as the hour at which you
rise IN the morning, the price of your hat,
your sisters first name, and particularly
anything that concerns your financial
affairs. There never was greater Curl
osity in the world after items OF personal
Information than these people exhibit.
mat Is their custom, one with another,
and they cannot perceive the impertinence
Of it in their relations with other people.
1t is also the proper thing to throw a
mean order of fiirtatious dialogue back
and forth at their ignorant and unattract-
i've young ladies. OF which each boarding.
house is liable to have more or less of a
stock.
1t will be observed that the art of grace
fully feeding yourself does not flourish
TO any great extent in Germany, as it
does not anywhere on the continent east
CT France. There will be fear lest some
time, IN the transport of a particularly
large piece of roast goose or liver-sausage
the knife may do your neighbours
mouth some injury, but a German is
more expert at this than at many other
things. A German fraulein of consider
able age at your elbow. suddenly, just as
you have told her that there is one State
n A nrIn a
than the whole German Empire count
Ing Bavaria and Schwarzburg-R Rudolf
stadt), IN her anxiety to fire back some
pleasant reply. upsets your red wine, and
then out OF your good-natured heart you
must help her strew salt over the soil, 30
that the tablecloth may go on serving it's
duty until the following Sunday morn
| Ing. 1t VIII be necessary to sit among
these cordial surroundings for at least an
hour, and sometimes longer, and when
the guest gets up from the table he must
either shake hands with the family or say
some kind of hocus-pocus which.
translated, means BLESSED mealtimeW
Sometimes he must do both.
The Germans themselves rest while
after dinner to wait for digestion to be-
gin, and foreigners can do the same if
they have time. The supper may be
either had at table or in the bedroom.
AT most large places it is meal at q set
tied hour in the dining-rOom, less formal
and tedious than the dinner.
THE PORCELAIN STOVES.
Another thing to poster the foreigner
in the winter Will be the heating arrange
ments The German himself is never
warm enough. There are times in his
life when he Is almost warm enough.
If you tell him about it he will say that it
is because he does not want to be any
warmer, and he probably does not
There are few dwellings even in Berlin
heated in any other way than by the old
porcelain stoves. artistic-looking monu-
ments often of great size. When they are
not heated these stoves are as cold as a
china plate. When they are doing their
best they are never so warm as to prevent
one from standing up and embracing
them. 1t Is intended to build one fire
per day in these affairs, then lock them
up and let them radiate. Wood, peat and
other punk fuels are used for this pur-
pose. That they do not get hot corre-
spends to all the known laws of scientific
physics. How many hundred years
these stoves are to be used yet perhaps
nobody is competent to say.
THE AMERICANS.
Under the circumstances, it is a little
surprising that Americans, who most of
all, have the reputation for loving COM
forts and luxurles. should be willing to
live in such country. Yet Berlin and
Dresden draw great numbers every year.
For those who are here for a purpose, to
study the German sciences or literature.
or even only TO learn the language, l have
nothing but feelings of sympathy. One,
however. is constantly meeting persons
who have no purpose. Why they do not
GO to Paris or TO Vienna or Italy or stay
at home. is something that they only can
explain. The music is reckoned to be
the attraction iu Berlin. Dresden is, of
course, distinctly different city. While
its musical advantages are superior it is
also handsomely situated and the peo-
pie are Saxons. 1t has been unkindly
said of Americans that they live in Ger
many because it costs SO comparatively
little, and because they can here wear out
their old clothes. All these matters
ought to be investigated through the
American Observation-Disclosures Tele-
graph.