The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-20
THE SCHOBERMESSE
By George III. Murphy, Z. s. Vice Consul
at Luxembourg.

TO the Editor: Once every year
the quiet old city of Luxembourg
opens its eyes and remains wide
awake for two full weeks. During
the remainder of the year it seems to
belong more to the past than the present,
for the halo of antiquity crowns the
hilltop upon which the proud, historic
town has perched these fifteen hundred
years. Once Roman castle stood here,
and from this rocky hilltop Rome's
legions marched down to victory. Then
came Attila, the Scourge of God, with
his terrible Huns Still later the Franks
planted their victorious standards ON the
summit of this impregmable hill and in
A. d. 963 Count Siegfried, founded upon
the Roman ruins, the modern town of
Luxembourg.
But it is not my purpose to trace here
the history of Luxembourg under its va
rious masters, Burgundians, Spaniards,
Austrians, French and Dutchmen. Suf-
fee it to say that it is now again free
and independent, after having submitted
for nearly five hundred years to various
foreign yokes.
The Sohobermesse? Yes. / will now
return to my subject and tell you why and
how old Luxembourg bubbles with life
at the end of August each year. In the
year 1910, a century and half before
Columbus led the way to our new world,
John the Blind,-count Of Luxembourg
King of Bohemia and Margrave Of Mo-
ravia-established the Schobermesse, or
annual fair, for the purpose of cncourag-
ing the growth OF trade in the town Of
Luxembourg. To the Sch Jbermasse for
eign merchants were permitted to bring
their wares free of all taxes and with
the guaranteed protection of the sOver-
eign, thing of great Importance in those
troublesome days when robberar
Gratis and highway tax gatherers kept
the poar merchants shivering.
And today, five hundred and fifty years
after it's establishment by the good, blind
King. who fought and fell at Crecy,
am watching and enjoying the SchOber-
messe.
But what do l hear? The shrll notes
Of reed pipe and the tramp OF many
feet. Below my window herd of goats
is passing, guided by two picturesque
youths and several busy little dogs One
of the youths is piping as he goes, awak-
ening in my mind dim memories Of Vir-
gils Bucolics. A little child approa ches
with a few copper sous in one hand and
tia cup in the other. One Of the youths
hurriedly milks goat in the middle Of
the quiet street; the child pays her money
and departs with the nice, fresh milk;
the ostentatious little dogs drive the lag
gard goats into line; the piping begins
again, and the procession moves on in
search Of new customers.
Let us now take a nearer look at the
, schobermesse. In an immense, grassy
ST. .re, just outside the city limits, a
new own of roughIplank booths has
sprung 2 over night. These booths are
arranged streets which cross each 9TH
er at right angles. The first street we
enter is occupied almost entirely by deal
ers in glass, pottery and china wares. In
the next street toy dealers from Nurem-
berg and Saxon hosiery merchants pre-
dominate. Further ON are shoe shops
tin shops-shops, shops all sorts Of shops.
In another street ginger-cakes and candy
from red-fezzed Turks to thriving bus
mess in taffy and cocoanuts. Come, let
us enter this fried-potato shop. We can
have little room all to ourselves. But
first let us watch them cooking the po-
tatoes. A huge stove fills the centre OF
the booth. On this stove are a dozen
large iron pots, each half full of boiling
beef fat. Does some one insnuate that it
is in reality horse fat? Do not impair
your appetite by believing anything of
the kind. The raw potatoes are cut into
long quadrangular prisms and these are
thrown into the boiling fat. AS soon as
they begin to become brown they are
dipped up with ladle and sprinkled well
with coarse salt. They can be eaten at
onca at two sons Ewo ppntSl tho nlata
or we can carry them home in a paper
bag.
But let us not tarry. Here i'm this tent
one may view for the modest sum Of five
sous the monsters OF the deep, including
live hippopotamus. Here is the labyr-
NTH of Crete. There a giant eight feet