The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-25
IN POLADD'S OLD CAPITAL
The City of Cracow, a Pale Gem,
Lost in a Brilliant Setting.
Relics of Past Neutrality-suspicious.
Sights mt the Bazaar-Treasures of
the Museum-kOsciuszl Burial
Mound Made by His Patriotic COun-
trymen - Scenes in the Ghetto.

CRACOW. June 1.-The stream OF trav
elers continually crossing Europe is di
rected for the most part toward Vienn:
and Constantinople in the south, or to-
wards Warsaw and St. Petersburg In the
north and for this reason Cracow, which
| lies between these places, is passed ovel
unheeded, pale gem, lost in too brilliant
| a setting. For FIVE hundred years Cracov
was the habitation Of the Polish kings
Their court was renowned for its magni'
fcence; the love of Poland inspired its
subjects to heroism; the loneliness of the
country created poets and artists among
its inhabitants; music was part Of Their
lives; they were free and united.
All the beauty Of Poland exists now in
its memories; like frail flower, they
which, as it passes. Warsaw, is consider
able body OF water, reaches Cracow as a
mere stream whose smooth surface serves
for little more than a mirror to reflect
the city's towers.
The royal palace, which, in 1900, was IN
equaled in the ''eplendor Of its decora-
tions, the delicacy Of its architecture, the
richness Of color. and the fneness OF its
gilded moldings," is now possessed by the
Austrian soldiers. who have converted it
into barracks and hospital. The peo-
pie De Thou described three centuries ago
as producing an astonishing effect upon
their entrance into Paris, in 1873, with
flowing robes, hats Of fur, sabres, arrows,
sumptuous equipages, sword-sheaths. sad
dies, brides, and saddle-cloths. encrusted
in jewels, and. withal, an imposing air Of
dignity and assurance which Is natural
only in the sons Of freedom. ."
In the Museum.
Today the sumptuouB equipages, the
sword-sheaths encrusted in jewels, the
hats of fur, and the flowing robes have
come to idleness in the Cracow Museum,
where. before the glass cases which pre-
serve them from final destruction. more
tian one Pole has paid tribute OF tears
to these relics of vanished glory.
The imposing air of dignity and assvr-
ance natural only in the sons Of freedom
in the sons Of bondage has been transmitted
to an expression of resignation, OF arrested
hope. The language, rhythmic and melodi-
Gus, whose crowded consonants, whispered
by the natives, bears no resem-
blance to its written appearance, the
tongue in which authors and poets have
expressed themselves, Russia. now mis-
tress Of the greater part OF Poland. for
bids its Inhabitants to speak.
word of Polish overheard in the
streets OF Warsaw by the Russian police
is punished by Imprisonment. Thus, little
By little, this brave people, strong in their
love of country, have been forced to yielc
all that was dearest and most precious to
them and, driven away by exorbitant
taxes. they have seen their homes sold to
the Government which their taxes have en-
riched. There Is in their faces look Of
supreme remuneration and in their daily
lives there is religious fervor resulting
from the hopelessness of continued Oppres-
sion Here and there through the streets
and public places of Cracow there are al
tars, figures OF the Virgin and Of Christ
Lamps are kept lighted, flowers are
placed before them by the people who bow
as they pass or kneei and offer prayer.
The dimly lighted, dusty, and ill-cared-for
open air shrines have nothing in common
with the chapels of prosperity where the
rich give thanks for increased blessings.
They are the symbols Of pity and compass
sion. of promised mereies to which this
hopeless people turn from the dull horizon
of their lives.
OF the seventy churches which have been
built in Cracow since $50 forty still re-
main. In many of them there are treas
ures of art and architecture left by the
various artists who have visited the Poll b
capital The most interesting is the cath /
edral built on the hillside which dominates |
the city, and placed side by side with the
ancient residence Of the kings. There are
a series of chapels about the nave, the best !
Of which was planned for Sigismond in the |
century by the Florentine Bar
tolomeo Berecci. All manner Of Gothic and
sculpture is represented in the |
tombs which shelter kings and poets from |
the days OF Ladislas, Lobietek, and Sobies |
XII, to Poniatowski and the modern poet !
Adam Mickiewicz.
Scenes in the Market Place.
The old walls of the city have been torn
iown and replaced by gardens, and Of the
gates one alone remains. the Drama Flory
anska, or Door OF Saint Florian, which was
the entrance Of honor placed across the
highway to Warsaw. The centre of Craoow
Is large public place, called the Rynek.
Twelve streets lead out Of it to the gar
iens which surround the city, and beyond |
the gardens are the faubourgs, Of which |
The most important is the Kazimierz. or
Ghetto, occupied by thirteen thousand |
Jews. On holidays the Rynek is thronged |
with peasants, who come to buy and sell at ,
he bazaar which takes place weekly.
Flowers, bread, cheese, baskets, and |
pottery are spread out in profusion and at |
me side is the Sukienniee, an immense
,blonG building, under whose graceful |
Gothic arches the merchants Of Cracow |
lave sofa materials of all kinds, scarfs,
md kerchiefs, for 600 years There is
Oriental in the brilliancy of the
,azaar on the Rynek. The peasant women
ie their heads UP in crimson and yellow
hawls; their skirts. reaching scarcely be-
ow the knees. are Of scarlet and blue,
md their loose. wrinkled high boots sug-
rest the mountains and distant country
reversed to reach the city. Many of the
,oorer women go barefooted.
The men wear long white coats Of
heepskin. black hats, with metal flowers.
md dark red leather belts encrusted in |