The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-11-03

song and romance of knights and ladies true
and false, of dragons, fairies and giants, there
are continual signs of modern industry, as
vet so unpoetical. Admonitions to eat GER
tain breakfast food are painted on many OF
che gray rocks that hang over the waters, and
other advertisements of "hustlng' Ameri-
can manufacturers are to be found every
where A railway tunnel goes crashing
through the Lorelei's rock, and factory
stacks, unperturbed, indifferent and smoky,
raise their straight, slim masonry beside the
huge towers that do vaguely protest of other
aimes.
Little steamers and naptha launches go
aiccoughing through the very waters which
so long ago Kissed and splashed and foamed
greatly at the drowning Of the terrible
dragon. Boatmen to-day tell of his death
with bated breath-the Teutonic breath is al
.most always bated, anyway, for the Teuton
is very superstitiOus. 1t seems this dragon
demanded every season sacrifice Of beauti-
sul maidens, but after a century or two of
satisfactory feasts of beauty, demonstrating
Christians began coming in. and finally one
maiden bethought her of her cross and held
It up before the monster, who was about to
uevour her. He straightway acknowledged
fhis defeat by tumbIing over backwards into
Athe river, and that was the end of him.
There was another dragon farther down
he Rhine, that Siegried, the hero oil
Nagner's opera. killed, and between the
,.ragons and the Turing ladies Ike the Lorelei,
trip down the Rhine was hardly safe even
at midday. But we found no adventure in
this everyday 18th century; did not see a
dragon nor anything more awe-inspiring than
a soldier in citizens clothes who carried his
uniform in black bag and his sword in a
macintosh.
We did not dwell continually in the land
of dreams. We tried the Rhine wine, the
ordinary wine which everybody else was
drinking and found that it tasted of the
grape, its leaf tendrils, vine and roots; il
had fragrant, howery, but earthly taste.
not describable nor nice Also. we were
lucky enough to strike the Rhine washing
day for this year. for every bit Of level
ground along its shores was occupied by red
petticoated, nhite-capped women. rinsing
clothes in its waters or spreading them on
the grass 10 dry. Groups of merry gossips
would be down at the waters edge together.
and whIe they spread the linen out in the
sun many a jest and bit Of story was passed
about.
The Rhine villages are the thinnest vii
lagos that we ever saw, being usually one
long street along the water front. with one
row OF houses facing the river. 1t reminds
one OF The way they serve peas in German
restaurant. They serve one LAYER of peas
over great fiat silver dish; carefal never
TO heap one pea on another.
Some Of the Rhine stories are crotesaue:
some seem TO be compounded of the wieriest
ideas that the human brain could conceive;
some are whimsical, and some are the love
lest of the world stories. THE love story OF
Roland and Hildegunde is Rhine story.
When one sees the arch of his castle towering
on the nights above and CLEAN Of the walls
of the convent on the little green island be-
low where she lived out her pous Young life.
one feels very tenderly toward those lovers OF
so long ago 1t seems that Roland was a
nephew of Charles the Great and himself one
OF the worlds bravest knights, so that min
strels carried far and near songs of his knightly
deeds III serving innocence and routing the
wrong He had no love for court life and
luxury, but was always longing for advent
uTe. Therefore, when all the wrongs in his
immediate vicinity had been righted be
begged permission of his uncle TO roam into
strange countries seeking adventure, and his
plea was granted.
Alter rowing about killing robbers every day
be at last came to the Rhine. The time of the
year was the Spring. when the grass and the
young vines were fresh green and a sweet
odor hung over the land The beauty and
softness of the season and of the lovely river
charmed his fierce heart into an uuwonted