The National tribune., 1898-11-24
A DAY IN COLOGNE.
Rambling Through a City
Famed In Song and Story.
Grandeurs of Cologne Cathedral Scenes in
Sacred Places-Many Legends.

Sacred Places-Many Legends.
We all know more or less of this Rhine
city, in fact feel pretty familiar with its
local color" having some memories oi
the two spires in a picture of the cathe-
dral in our Biographies of long ago, having
read of Ursula and her ,000 Virgins i'll
our High School days, having used quite
a good deal of Cologne water and being
familiar with Hoods rhyming jibes at the
"wenches" and "stencheS." We did not
believe that tale OF Ursula and her II ,00C
Virgins, who, as it runs, made a holy
pilgrimage TO Rome as a preliminary to
Ursua's wedding with a heather bride
groom. The girls had gotten as far as
Cologne on their way home when a horde
of Huns set upon them and killed them
ALL except Ursula, whom they intended
for prize for their chief, until she in
sisted on martyrdom along with her friends
and had it.
There is a church in Cologne frescoed
with the bones of the IL 600 Virgins. We
did not see the church, but we accept the
legend. UnbelieverS have argued that
many of the bones are those OF men and
young children. and others tell how the
people have fooled themselves into max
ing and believing the tale. But it is much
better not TO argue over European legends,
vanities and statistics. The person who
goes al rjad and cannot refrain from COM
PARSONS between tradition and history,
between candle or dip lights and elec-
tricity horSe-cars and rapid transit mag
nifcent yefigl1tS- S-of-stairS and elevators
reluctant cans Of hot water. and bath
tubs, would better stay at home. Europe
has neither fun nor profit for him.
But we forgot all our carefully
beTed memories Of the city as we came
down the Rhine towards il and saw the
roofs, the windows bridges and towers
shine in the sunset light. The twin
spires held our eyes; we knew their
fascination. and that we would give very
little OF our time to any other sight than
the cathedral.
As we swung towards the docks we
noticed bridge of boats across the river
ard wondered, because there was also an
iron bridge across. We don't know yet
what is the peculiar value of a boat
bridge, but il seems there are several
others in the world.
IN Cologne Tor the first time since leay-
ing America, we heard English spoken
freely and comfortably. In fact. we began
to doubt whether there were any natives
in Cologne. AT the hotel were English
servants, the clerks in stores often smoke
English, and whenever we would muster
up our poilteSt German TO ask the way OF
someone in the streets, he would turn
and answer, Please, | don't know: | am a
ing wasted German, for his accent was
as difficult as our own, and English
would probably have done as well for him
We only stayed day or SO, being in a
hurry 10 reach London. We planned only
TO break the long Journey so firesome on
these European trains and boats: but the
sightseer who thinks ever to rest in
Europe will be disappointed. Every walk
ing moment is kept filled with sights" of
one degree or another.
One more preconceived notion crum-
bled TO dust: Cologne is not particularly
a city OF evil smells. as song and history
relate. Indeed, il cannot hold a candle"
10 Nuremberg or Vienna in this respect
The only noticeable odor is that of the
inevitable, Echt, Jean Maria Farina Coei-
nlscher Nasser.' Every store and clerk
rs scented with it, swinging doors watt
the scent back and forth and passersby
leave trail of it. If there were not a
little too much of it, it would be delightful.
Cologne Cathedral. or "The Dom "as IL is
called, begun so many centuries ago, and
having suffered through the ages from fire
and val, was not completed architecture
ally until our own day, If these cathe-
crais ever be finished at all. Millions of
dollars, gifts of kings and moneys from
the scant earnings Of penitent peasants
nave been spent on ii. 1t is one Of the
most splendid results OF Gothic architec-
ture in the world. Its twin spires of ex-
ceedng grace, the great portals, framed
win nundreds OF statues Of saints and
martyrs, each fine work of sct,ipf,re i'm
Itself, and yet only tiny detail about the
great arch, the music Of the chimes make
this cathedral one of the worlds great
beauties. Within, the magnificent aisies.
the vistas of arches and pillars. the great
Eashing, glowing windows, the singing
priests, the carvings, and the relics" do
not deny the outer splendor.
One peculiar aspect of its outer decora-
tion rs the hounds heads springing from
the puttresses. Long, slim, watchful
heads and shoulders seem Swinging
yelplng, from the stone To guard eyerv
buttreSs. From a distance the carvings
have broidered effect but when close to
them one sees smiling saints with hair
seeming soit about the broad brovs and
meek eyes, patient old martyrs. winged
musicians, caln1-faced bishous and
chefubim clashing cymbals. If IL he the
cherubim who do that-one has Ia call
them something-wherever one looks
closely ii is beautiful.
We entered the great West Mortal but !
were confronted by a frowning beadle in a
turkeyred gown. who upheld his great /
mace and demanded if we were Catholic |
When we answered NO" he told US that |
We must enter another door ard with a /
tantalizing glimpse of the great interior /
we were shut out and were on the street
again 10 hunt for d door for Protestants. /
we went IN at the South portal. and |
another beadle, also Of terrific aspect !
turkey red clothes and gigantic mace. |
held us back, demanded our faith and |
nnally gave US permission to stand in the \
vesubule until the service was over.
We thought IL eminently right and /
proper TO forbid sightseers to roam about /
and whisper during service, but we did /
want TO go sit quietly in the great space |!
and listen. That is always the way with |
sightseers-they see the sense of res,ric-
tons, but want them relaxed i'm fheir own
inofiensye and eminentiy exemplary
favor. We continually found bluff voiced |
Engiishmen and sharp toned United
States spinsters demonstrating over bar-
riers, and sometimes with the aid n,
marks, krones or shillings they suc-
ceeded; but we took the world as il came
obeyed beadles and funkeys. and bided /
our time.
The beadle watched very carefully the
people who said they were Romanists IN
see that they performed their deyotions /
properly and were not sightseers hoaxing
MN; ne was most suspicious indj-
viduai. An Old priest in a purple can and \
gown zig Jagged softly about keeping an |
eye on things. There was also a black
robed, blank faced, clumsy footed younc
priest who slipped about with a wand nj |
the end of which was a cloth bag az the
tip OF which was the tiniest and most
persistent little bell that ever fjnlxIed |
The bell was continual reminder that
the church needed the pfennigs in ONES
pockets. lie wandered about forever with
L.