Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-08
BITS OF LIFE IN KAISERLAND
Experiences Of Bachelor Girls in Emperor
Willi,m's Countrj,
TUssLE WITH CUSTOM HOUSE OFFICIALS
Qunint sights ana Scenes in Cologne
and Strnsburg md Along the
Rhinc-wondcrs OF the
Great Cathedrnis.


They hail from st. Louis, this quartet OF
globe etrotting bachelor girls who see all
that is worth seeing and give their i'm
pressicns in the picquant, picturesque style
OF American girls. In letter to the Globe
Democrat, the editor of the party thus re-
lates their experience in Germany:
We have yet to experience the welcome
Of the custom house officials in our native
landau ordeal which We do not look for
ward to with hilarity-but we know some
thing OF the tricks and the manners in
healthier clmes, where English is not
spoken. Many time when we were ques-
toned so keenly In n language which was
as Greek to us and where our poor little
modest travelling bags were poked so sus-
piciously by officials on the scent for whisky
or tobacco" we sighed in the words of the
Psalmist, why do the heather rage so
furiously and the people imagine vain
thing?"
We had more than queer experience with
the powers that be on the borders of Ger
many. We had been warned that the officials
In the land Of the moustachioed emperor
were far from tender with foreigners, cs-
pecially AngloSaxons, and we were
anticipating annoyance, though our con-
whisky or tobacco. But somehow we had
missed calculations as to the border line
of Prussia and were in Rhineland before we
knew it. The fact was announced first by
strange behavior on the part of the train.
The carriage which we occupied in common
with a silent German gentleman, was sud-
denly unhtched from its moorings to the
rest OF the train and began violent flight
to the rear, while the rest OF the carriages,
with our friends, went steaming on toward
the haven where we would be. Then loco
motion ceased and for a few minutes we
were stationary. The silent gentleman took
occasion to alight, probably to ascertain
what all this meant. No sooner had he left
the carriage, however, than We began TO
move forward again, slowly. I stuck my
bewldered head out of the window, to find
our carriage being pushed down a sidetrack
by single man! And he pushed to such
good purpose that we soon brought up with
a bang against the rear OF the very train
from the front of which we had been de-
tached with such care. Now, can any one
solve for me the mystery of such course
of proceeding? But that was not all The
door OF the carriage was opened with a bang
and a pompous individual in uniform began
to question us in German, which Is a dead
language to us. At first I was at a loss,
but suddenly 1t dawned upon me what he
meant and I violently shook my head, dis
claiming all knowledge of whisky and
tobacco, to find which was evidently his err
rand. He then pointed to the Nggage of
the silent German, which filled the seat
opposite us. We shrugged our shoulders
and signiied that it was nothing to u.s.
whereupon he fell upon the defenceless bags
tooth and nail, pulled them open, clawed
th.
them broadcast over the plush cushions.
Having found neither cigars nor spirits
among the very simple dressing arrange
ments Of the absentee, he frowningly with
drew, banging the door again, leaving us
staring wildly at the disarray and confusion
of the poor gentleman's bag, for he had
never stopped to return ths--masculine gar
ments to their seemlv oblivion, but had
left them sprawling over the whole car
riage. 80
Protests of Innocence.
Amid our CONSERVATION entered the silent
German. For a moment he stood in the
doorway gazing horror struck at the ruins
of hie packing. Then he looked reproach-
fully at us and back to the collars, cuffs,
underwear and socks which Uttered the
seat and the floor. We turned crimson under
the evident suspicion OF his gaze. TRY to
explain" gasped Mre. to me- And I tried,
with my four words Of German, to tell him
that twas no deed of ours
Thou canst not say done it, plain
lively remarked, or words to that effect.
He looked doubtful and am sure under
stood never word, but repacked his bags
in client despair And our faces remained
crimson until he alighted, which was at the
next station.
This was our introduction to Germany,
and the first of many contretemps caused
by our ignorance OF the language. But for
the most part we found the people patient
and polite, though by no means quick to
grasp an idea or proficient in slgn Ian
guage. We were helpless at the restau-
rants; our mode OF proceeding was to lcok
down the bill OF fare, which conveyed no
meaning whatever to our minds, and pick
ing out some cultural Wand at haphazard
to point to 1t on the card and wait in du-
bious suspense to learn Of what our meal
was to consist. And great were the sur
prises in store for us; for things which
looked most complicated in cod print would
turn out to be the most innocent Of everyday
vegetables in hot dishes. And we ate what
was set before ue.
And oh the wild Joy which filled our
hearts when we mustered up courage to be
really wicked and Bohemian; when we
found ourselves sitting in one of the coZy
little sidewalk beer gardens In Strasburg
with a small portion of meat and a very
large mug Of beer on the table before u.s.
We wondered what we Should think at
home to see two unattended ladies drink
ing spirits in public street; We Won
dered what our gentle and scrupulous
mothers would think to see ue So But no
che else seemed to find 1t at all strange;
in fact. every one was doing likewise, and
the band played meanwhile.
At Famous Shrine.
1t was at Cologne that we saw the shrine
Of st. Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Vir-
gins, their bones made into a neat patch
work of mosaic on the walls Of the little
chapel. stout and conciliatory priest
showed us about the precious chamber, all
rich with gold and jewels and offerings OF
believers for nearly 1000 years. He would
point out the finger bone OF St. Ursula"
the right arm bone OF st. Ursula" 1.-The
skull OF st. Ursuas husband" cleft deep
with a heather battle ak, and as he showed
us the wondrous relics. each encased in its
precious case OF silver, with a hole for the
kiss Of the pious, he would look at us with
he queerest expression, as one who would