The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-05-16
SUNDAY IN ANTWERP.
Phases of Life In Famous City of the
Netherlands.
Especial Correspondence

NeCneflhnOBs
Especial Correspondence
ANTWERP, May AT the Cafe Flora,
the Delmonico of Antwerp, sat down
at table, in the middle of the street.
might have stuck out my foot and had
it crushed by passing market cart.
And yet Place de la Mer is very wide.
The cathedral opposite, spire and all,
could lie there outstretched like fallen
tree without seriously blocking traffic.
On the other side of the street were
all sorts of shops, wide open, as on
week days. This side of the place, all
the way from the big railroad terminus
to the market place, people We're sitting
around little iron tables like ours.
Forth from the portals of that long Sc
ries of cafes the human mass spread
across the sidewalks ard out upon the
Belgian pavement. Whole families
were there, and sweethearts, all chat
tering French, laughing and drinking.
Beer, wine, cafe noir and sugared wa
ter were the favorite drinks. Glasses
clicked gleefully and walters with long
aprons chased each other like white
was Sunday in all Antwerp.
Fresh from New York, sat there
like greenhorn. Drinking on Sunday,
and brazenly-in the open streetsl
Amid this license, this Sunday holiday
making, citizen of Gotham felt like
a child just out of school.
The Place de la Mer was gay with
Ra1 ni1
black and red. The pedestrians and We
hicles filed the place with sort of
happy hubbub; market carts drawn by
dogs or donkeys; peasants with gro
tesque bonnets soldiers in red coats,
policemen with swords, men and boys
riding bicycles with stockingless legs,
flower girls, messenger boys, pest of
beggars and sprinkling of monks with
sandals over bare feet.
Suddenly there was a roar of laugh
ter mingled with kissing. A monk had
lost a sandal-slipped it off while he
was running to catch train car. Some
one had thrown the sandal over among
the tables. Instantly it had been rent
into pieces and the sole hurled back at
| the monk But Oh toward the vanishing
Car ran he-and the faster ran the monk
the harder the tram driver whipped his
horse. just as the car swung round in
to side street some one tripped up the
baffied monk. and he fell sprawling.
''The people hate the clergy" ex-
planned the waiter. ''They have been
grinding us underfoot long enough
Then several carriages drew up where
we sat, almost grazing our tables.
"a bride, l said to the waiter.
tAnd a ruined wedding gown" I
added, as, led by the groom, with her
train dragging yards behind her over
the beer wet pavement, the bride swept
| by us and wound her way between the
tables and batteries of staring eyes to
the cafe. The wedding party followed
all the men in full evening dress,
though the cathedral bells near by were
ringing noon. Strange" exclaimed,
shaking my head sadly. after we'd
ding funeral.
Open landaus were passing in slow
procession. Each was overloaded with
silent, solemn passengers, who smiled
not, but were serious.
where is the hearse, waiter?"
asked.
Cooks tourists, monsieur" he re-
piled.
laughed. mo, not the carriages, +"
said, looking sad again. 81 meant those
men ON foot carrying that bier. .
AS the pallbearers approached, up
rose the men from each table down the
edge of that multitude and stood with
barred heads till the funeral party had
passed. Behind the bier walked very
young girl, heavy black Grape veil
hanging from her bonnet to her feet
the widow.
Later crossed the Place to one of
the many bicycle shops.
"There are 90, 900 bicycles in Ant
werp, )" said the obliging man in the
doorway, ''aad many ride American
wheels. In the city and all through
Belgium indeed there are shops where
wheels are repaired, sold or rented.
Belgium is cyclists paradise, it is so
level, and our roads are as good as those
IN France. /" gibson WILLETs.