The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-03

gcsted 10 us when we reHect that the
past week has been full to the utter
most with club meetings and club work
for IL has so happened that most OF the
meetings of our important Rhode ISL
and clubs have chanced 10 occur dur
ing the week just closed.
The first report az hand Is that OF the
Read. Mark and Learn club which con-
vened on Monday afternoon, at the
home of Miss Carrie &. Olney, on Lloyd
street.
The, usual 10 minutes discussion
which precedes the literary hour was
led by Mrs. Della Moore, subject
''shall Christian scientists he debarred
by law from practicing healingy
Following the discussion the SUBJECT
Germany" was taken up, being
continuation of the subject whlch mas
occupied the club for several weeks
An extremely interesting and COM
prehensive paper upon e, ueIn,al
SCENERY" by Mrs. Walter Reynolds
gave the potential tourist OF that coun-
try n very clear idea of the best routes
of travel together With many Siiinpses
of the beautiful scenery Tor WhlCh Ser-
many is famous.
The paper first indicates the geogra-
phical position OF Germany ana tne
natural division of It's surface INTO
Northern and Southern Germany
The nine river systems were also
briefly dwelt upon-particular atten-
tion being called TO the Rhine anu the
Danube The description OF the ltnlne
follows, particular portions OF Whlch
may be quoted:
"The valley OF the Rhine IL the CHER
fpr lnNpFg
tural beauty, the grandeur ot the
scenery. the historic legends or ro-
nance of war of tragedy, or adNen-
ture. associated with this noble river
lend TO this region an indescriDle charm.
1t has been likened TO our own huusoh
and indeed, the two rivers nave inucn
i'm common, but the historic interest
which centres about the Rhine so ADDS
10 it's fascination that it's pre-emihence
is at once established.
THE Rhine Is To the GermaVs what
the Nile was 10 the Egyptlans-thelr
national pride and source of never end
ing glory. The head waters OF the
Rhine are I'm the heart Of the Alps.
Born in the region of perpetual snow.
its life Is nourished by the meeting
glaciers which ill many of the noun
tain gorges.
Mountain peaks rising one after an
other mantled in their robes OF white
look down serenely upon the snug httle
Alpine villages nesting SO quietly at
their feet. Here remote from railroads
cities and modern travellers, the peas
ants live in the most primitive simpli-
city"
Continuing from this point the wind
ing OF the Rhine is described until IL
loses itself for time in the waters ot
Lake Constance. From Lake Con
stance the river. broadened and deep
ened, goes on. Baden Baden, the beau
tiful health resort on it's banks, IS
notes as n spot too beautiful To missed
by the tourist lying as IL does near the
BLACK Forest, in which one can stroll
for Niles beneath majestic trees shad-
ing a path daily swept by old women.
The forest was described as 30 miles
long and % broad, with fine macadem-
lied roads penetrating far into the in-
terror.
The three modes OF travelling on the
Rhine were interestingly explained;
first. the steam road, second the steam
boat journey. and third the carriage
road which winds in thre around the
base of the mountain and follows the
general trend OF the stream.
Continuing the essay dwells at length
upon the ruined castles along the
Rhine, of which we may quote briefly
from the paper: THE beauty OF these
ruins is much enhanced by the clinging
vines which almost without exception
covers them as with a drapery. How
much of the artistic would be lost If
these walls stood out gray and bare
upon some lonely Crag! The grandeur
of the scenery presented by the ap-
pearance Of castle after castle tower
ing like bold sentinels from the dense
foliage beneath. hundreds OF feet above
the Rhine must indeed till the on
looked with profound awe"
The paper concludes with the descrip-
tion of the picturesque Lorelei Cliffs
and the story Of the legends connected
with them: referring also To HeinriCh
Heinc's beautiful poem. Die Lorelie.
In closing the essayist referred To the
fact that little had been said of the
low plains i'm the north of Germany. in
view of the fact that picturesqueness
depends upon diversity of lanscape for
it's attractiveness and grandeur. The
Rhine. for this reason. had been chosen
Ia give the representative richness Of
scenery for which the German Empire
is famed.
The second paper, by Miss Ellinor
briggs. secretary OF the club, dis
coursed upon the architecture of Ger
many.
I'm beginning. the paper gives special
emphasis TO the fact that Tie Ger
mans who have such fine schools or
literature ana music nave none VI az
chitecture They have no national ar
chitecture. but have borrowed, from
their neighbors. their ideas OF form and
construction which are To 10 seen in all
their buildings both pubic and private,
and for this reason we do not see that
gradual development of style and that
relation between various buildings
which is 60 be found among other races.
Miss Briggs briefly outlined the
somewhat dcsultory progress of Ger
man architecture from the reign uf
Charlemagut. i'm the eighth century,
down to modern times. The paper meu-
tions the fact that the building ot
churches seems Co have occupied the
minds of those early architects ana
called forth their best efforts. In this
connection the development OF The
French Gothic style i'm Germany was
described. The Cathedrals of TreNcs.
Mayence and st. Martens I'M Cologne,
were cited as examples OF this style.
Particular stress. however. was laid
upon the great typics cathedral Of
Germany. that OF Cologne. one Of the
n - A.