Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-09-10
M ensrs Hammelt and Pierce
A-WheeI in Europe.
[coNTINUEp FROM LAST WEEK.

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK
So after dinner we started out slowly
strolling up the hill upon which the
castle stood. We felt too full TOR ut
terance (for man is but human and if
they will put all these good things be-
fore him he will eat them) and SO
sleepy. By the time we had climbed
the steep steps leading to the castle gate
we were feeling lighter-which You
would understand if you had ever elm.
bed up there-and when little Ger
man guide had seized upon and began to
pilot US through the garden we began
to wake up. He first showed us the
Elizabeth Gate, a dilapidated sort OF an
arch of red sand stone, and informed us
it was built in 1900 and something
We halted and gazed upon it with a
beaming amount Of reverence and inter
est, very much as l have seen a country
pumpkin at circus listening to the
ringmaster's Jokes which he does net
understand and therefore cares nothing
about bnt grinning approval because it
seems the proper thing to do. We did
manage to find out after while by
helping out our guides English (of
which he had barely parrot like stock
sufficiently to rattle off the history of
each place. l really believe the fellow
knew no English but had simply stud
led these descriptions and soaked them
down by heart, for when we wanted to
know anything not in the regular line
we had to scrape up enough German to
ask it, and then he was talkative enough
but as we understood about as much
German as he did English we gave that
up after one or two attempts and con-
tented ourselves with nodding our heads
and looking wise when he delivered
these throat. torturing and splitting
asides. By and by we were taken to a
ticket Office, where for so pfenings each
we purchased the right to see the inside
of the castle, and were here turned over
to the tender mercles Of a very nice,
sweet voiced young woman, who, wi h
out ado, proceeded to explain to our
party which now numbered ten, the
history Of the different rooms. | asked
her to give 1t in English and which she
did to the immense relief of some Amer
lean girls who looked comica)ly dismal
when she began in German. One must
follow the guide in going through the
castle. He is not permitted to do 9TH
erwise; but there is something irresist-
IDLY funny in crowd of men and wo-
men half German and half English,
hanging on the words which issue from
the lips Of the guide as if they were very
pearls of wisdom, and forgetting all
about it ten minutes later, and when
she turns to 60, following like flock Of
obedient sheep with whats coming
next" look. The castle is fine thing
undoubtedly, but when you have to see
it in such fashion you really cannot
appreciate it at all. If one could have
a history Of the vcissitudes thru which
it has passed and sit in a shady nook in
the garden and read it, going from time
to time TO time to visit each room as he
entered 1t in the life of the past it would
be something like, but it is impossible
even to make use of the knowledge one
has in such company. Anyone with a
sense of humor wants to laugh all the
time. But even the ridiculous way in
which one must see it cannot deprive
the ruins of certain massive grandeur
"a heavy majesty which time, fire and
blood have conferred upon it. lilly
sacked it and the town in 1900, during
the 80 years war. We saw great paint.
ing representing this at Karlsruhe yes.
terday.
Sunday, Aug. 9.
1:3O p. M, B1NGEN.
When we awoke this morning stea-
dY rain was falling 1t was our inten-
ton to train to Bingen and we were
rather relieved than otherwise to see the
rain on the principle that if it rains to-
day 1t may be clear tomorrow. Our
train left at $50 and we Just made it.
The first part of the day we were in
~ t.s If