The herald., 1896-10-25
! / LETTER FROM BRUSSELS

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DRUggELe, Belgium. Sept 15.-Af-
~ a uneventful voyage OF just ten
6axu from New York the good ship
Yf1onlSnd. elowy winding her way along
1he gary Scheldt," at last, on the morn
M OF the 18th Of August, came into the
busy port OF Antwerp, or Anvers. as 1t
q universally called here. Say Ant
werp and la. Beige looks mystified; say
Anvers and all is made Instantly clear
10 him. "Ah Anvers, oui." Antwerp
= = very important port and quite a RI
val to Brussels. The shipping Is i'm
<lnense, and no wonder, for its magnifi-
cant docks, or basins, were constructed
b. Napoleon I. to accommodate 1000
0kips at one time. One Of the basins
- called Bassin d LAmerique. Quite
GompliEnent. considering the dense igno-
rance 81 these people in regard to Amer
Sca and American affairs generally. The
18th being religious festival, the city
WAS en- fete. So, after all the prelimi-
naries Of the custom house officers were
over, we befook ourselves to the Grand
Hotel du Miroir, were assigned rooms,
etc. and then wended our way through
the narrow, crooked streets to the prin-
0ipal point of interest to most people
0Ql0K AuEWGIR, dHQ llldL - tiiC AoAAAONS
old C6xhedral de Notre Dame (thlr-
teenth century,, the tower of which is
conspicuous object long before we
enter port Coming to a lovely little
park or square directly in front of the
cathedral, we found there assembled In
holiday attire great number of people.
listening to the music. most OF them,
though, intent on doing the great edi-
nee. like ourselves. The first impress
- 4. 1po <%f erln nd hI1f
gradually, under the influence of the
music, many lights. gorgeous banners
and wonderful coloring of the old mas
terpieces, this imprassion disappears.
Standing in the rear of this noble edi-
nee, and looking toward the high altar,
one forgets all other splendors in the
contemplation Of the face of the Virgin
IN lie Assumption by Rubens. 1t is SIM
ply something SO glorious, that face, so
wonderfully sweet that once seen cannot
be forgotten. Soaring into the clouds,
surrounded by Cherubim and Seraphim,
the heavenly beatuy and charm of the
virgins countenance must surely come
from an inspired brush. In the even
ing there was a procession, bands of mu-
eic. with several regiments Of military,
gorgeous floats, one of which represent
edsthe coronation of the czar and car
ana of Russia. and was quite costly and
elaborate. Borne aloft and covered
With priceless Brussels lace, was the
figure Of the virgin, on whose brow
was q crown of sapphires and diamonds
costing ten millions of francs. Next
day we visited the Maison Marche de
Vendredi. an old house belonging TO
the Plantin Moretus family, printers at
the time of Philip II. The oldest of
al printing houses was donated to the
city Of Anvers, with its invaluable col
lection Of manuscripts and letters of
noted literary men of the time, portraits
Of the early printers, old paintings, all
pertaining to letters and the art of let
ters. On the afternoon Of the following
day we left quaint old Antwerp, with
regret. and came on to Brussels, the
beautiful, or ''le Petit Paris" as it is
sometimes called, from the Partisan
style and manners, the beautiful boule
wards and attractive jewel and lace
shops of this most charming city. It has
its Latin QUARTER. too, called the Rue
de Bouche, and on this busy street may
be seen every day Svengalis and Geckos
By the dozen.
Brussels has about one million of in
habitants, and a most pleasing feature
IL the entire absence of dirt indeed so
very clean are its streets that I doubt
whether there is enough mud in Brus-
sells for the street gamins to manufact-
ure mud pies with. The houses, COM
pactly built, are of stone, and the streets
are of Belgian blocks. and the din of the
much Travelled streets is simply deafen-
ing, Brussels is much cleaner and
quieter city than Paris and while it has
AL of the life and gayety of the latter
metropolis, 1t has none of its disagree
able features. There is here an entire
absence of beggary, everyone is seeming
~ engrossed In their own business. There
IL saying in French, which translated
means: Everything goes in Brussels"
Many flne and notable buildings are
among the many attractions of petit
Paris. Foremost is the new palais de
Justice, which was completed about
twenty years ago, was seventeen years
building and cost 5O,0OO,000 Of francs.
Daring In its conception, gigantic in size,
It is certainly one Of the finest edifices
1rththe world. To look up at this marvel
Of architectural beauty is bewildering,
and no wonder, for there are only two
other buildings larger in size and they
are st. Peters at Rome and the Grand
opera house in Paris st. Peters cost
20 900. 900 of francs and the Grand opera
e0,O00,000 of francs. The palais de JUS
tice is built on the highest point of ele-
walton in Brussels and it's dome, as seen
from lower Brussels, appears among the
clouds. From an historical point of view
the Grand place is perhaps the most at
tracttve to both tourist and Buxellois.
It well deserves the title of Grand place,
for grouped around this famous square
are first the beautiful Hotel de Vile,
Fifteenth century, The entire facade
II one mass of statuary, while from the
center rises the most light and graceful
epire In all Belgium, some four hundred
feet In height. Directly opposite is the
Maison du Roi, the old palace of Charles
the Fifth. in the front room of which he
signed his abdication. The palace is at
present museum, containing costumes,
armor, etc., pertaining to the Belgian
revolution. At midday a beautiful
chime of bells rings out from the belfry
and its silvery music may be heard
Al over the city. On either side of these
notable buildings are the ancient houses
Of the mobiles, resplendent with gliding,
colossal statuary and exquisite carv-
1ngs. On Sunday mornings the Grand
place is crowded with flower sellers,
bird fanciers, and the dog market is
something people come from all points
Of the city to witness.
St. Gudele, the most interesting of all
churches in Belgium, for apart from its
wonderful windows there is the carved
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