The Princeton union., 1900-09-06


U. S. M. S. "ST. PAUL." Aug. 10,
1900. -"Homeward bound'' on an
American boat that bears the name of
our own capital city! The first three
or four days out we were-well-sort
of miserable but ''Richard is himself
again. and as we sit to-day gazing
upon a perfect sea and sky, retro
spect of the summers pleasures floats
before US.
Prominent among these is the little
hamlet OF Oberammergau perched
high among the Bavarian hills and
known to the whole, wide world as the
scene Of the Passion Play. How
vividly the journey from Munich comes
before us-the rush for the cars-it
seemed as if the whole world had Sc
lected this one day-and the ''piling
in' anywhere which, fortunately for
US, gave us a seat in a first-class CON-
partment: the change at Murnau, end
Of the main line where, after another
grand rush we found ourselves sud-
denly relegated to third class and
thankful to be accommodated here!
Then the long, slow ascent, for a little
distance in sight Of beautiful, blue
Statfelsee, our first glimpse Of the dis
tant, snow-crowned Alps, the many
shrines along the way IN each of
which madonna or a crucifx calls the
passing pilgrim to devotions, peasants
homes upon the hill-sides. mountain
villages, and the lofty, cross-crowned
Kofel which told US we had reached
our destination.
It was raining as it does much of the
time in these highlands, and-we had
left rubbers far behind but we followed
our guide to mo. 143" carrying with
us an ever-increasing supply of the
native soil, feeling the while, in spite
of discomforts, sense OF elation. AT
last after years OF longing, we had
reached our mecca-Oberamme "T
After depositing our baggage in the
clean, new room assigned to US we
were conducted around the corner to
the restaurant where dinner was to be
furnished. The one who has Bar
tholomew's part in the play is the pro-
prietor of the ablishment and as we
were eating he passed through the
room stopping to converse for mo-
ment. His long, fair hair and benign
countenance proclaimed him at once
an actor in the great drama and he re-
piled with pardonabie pride to our
question in regard to a portrait upon
the wall which he greatly resembled,
that it was his father, who had acted
the part before him.
Dinner, which not entirely to the
taste of one used to American cook
ing, comprised at least one choice ar
ticle--''speckled beauties" from the
mountain streams-and we were pre-
pared to ENJOY anything, even the
''schwartz-brod" to which we we're
here introduced for the first time
mine host" at our lodging place
could talk no English and we had been
striving to muster enough German to
make known desire to warm and dry
our feet before retiring when a Ger.
man-American priest, who was also
there for the night, came to the rescue
and we were INVITED into the living
room where there was large porce
lain stove containing a very small
peat-fre. Perching ourselves upon 6
wooden shelf extending about the stove
fully three feet from the floor, with
feet pressed against it to obtain al
the warmth possible, we took a survey
of the room and its occupants. The
great brown stove occupied corner
with flight of steps behind it leading
to loft above the low ceiling. Al
ancient looking cupboard, a low wooder
couch, two small tables and few
chairs completed the furniture. Three
tiny easements deep-set and high
opened upon the street and on the
walls were displayed a carved cruciis
and one or two pictures of scriptura
events. 49, ~ T. D E:= E.,>, CHI ... =
p A woman who proved to be the
priests sister was lying; on the couct
and replying to our query if she were
i'll she laughingly told us that this wa:
her bed, that she had already retired
for the night. And there sat our hos
comfortably smoking while his good
frau and several German girls from
this and neighboring households car
ried on an animated conversation.
The priest, passing through an
nounced that he was to "sleep in tn,
stable" and this was no doubt true fo1
the village was overtlowing with guest
and in this, as in many of the homes