The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-12
GIRL LIFE IN GERMANY.
EngiishwOman Thinks 1t Dull and
UneVentfuI.

How would you girls like to change
places with you staid German cousins {?
You who find your life just a trif1e dull,
despite lawn tennis and golf parties
bicycling and walking expeditions, per-
maps even an occasional run UP to town
for peep at the new fashions and to
see the latest success on the boards
You would find a German girls coun-
try life tedious to a degree, writes a
correspondent to the London Chronicle
On the other side Of the German
ocean filtration must not be dreamt
of Golf, with it's happy wanderings
DER hill and dale, Is unknown; lawn
tennis, if played with mixed couples.
must have strict chaperons bicycling
is an all but unfathomed mystery, and
a run to Berlin beyond the widest
dreams of the German provincial
whose fondest hopes carry her no fur
Their than the nearest market town.
The life of the average provincial
girl is but at best a, state of vegela-
tion-a daily round Of little nothings
insignificant and constantly recurring
make up the sum of life. Pleasures are
few and far between, and sought al
most entirely amongst members of her
own sex. She is very lucky when she
succeeds in persuading her Chaperon to
take her to the regimental Exercir-
platZ-of course nearly every little Ger
man town is garrisoned.
A shopping expedition in the after
neon is an excuse for further glimpse
of the officers on their way to their
casino where they mess at D. M
This does not forward friendship great
ly, for no man would dare to speak to
a young unmarried lady, however well
acquainted with her he might be, UNI
less she were accompanied by a chap
erOn.
Sometimes the afternoon may be va
ried by a kaffee klatsch literally
meaning coffee clash, or noise'')-a
somewhat mysterious term, which de-
scribes the affair most adequately and
excellently. A prim little invitation Is
sent to perhaps half a dozen unmar-
ried girls, who reply with due regard
to the strict rules of kaffee klatschen
etiquette. At 4 o'clock precisely the
visitors arrive. After divesting them
selves of hats and cloaks they are
ushered into big, bare, and some
what dingy room of which the princi-
pal piece of furniture Is a large, fun
ereal, and distinctly awe-inspiring sofa
with no sOftly-cushioned corners or
back such as our modern Chesterfield
boasts to lure the weary visitor 10
sinking far in it's luxurious depths.
NO, this is rather g. disciplinarian sofa
as well as the place d'honneur! On it
10 always W De IOu1lQ the g1Ver or the
entertainment, and with due solemnity
the eldest and most honored guest is
Installed by her side. Woe to the I'M
wary foreigner who unwittingly usurps
the seat
Now the fun begins-a bright faced
little Dienstmadchen who probably
answers to the name of Doretta. APP
pears carrying the steaming coffee and
an array of cakes calculated to strike
chill to the heart of the most cou--
ageous sweet tooth. "Baumkuchen."
''Apfelkuchen," "Pflaumtorte,' und so
weiter are handed around until each
guests plate is stocked with a speci-
men of every kind-it is counted a
breach of courtesy to decline any one
of the collection. The tongues wae
fast and furiously since for once the
little German girl is free from elderly
supervision, even the young old maid
having been vigorously excluded from
these gatherings. No sooner is the
first installment Of cakes and coffee
consumed than there arrives, as an
other course, warm custard with COM
notes and more kuchen. Furtehr re,
lays follow with but little pauses until
a quarter before s, when, as a stirrup
cup, the company is invited to take
sweet homemade wine. At 8 o'clock
with many expressions of good will