Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-08-14
OLD WORLD SCENES.
w. j. Penkallegon Writes Enter
tainingly of His Foreign
Travels.
ROTTERDAM'S QUAINT SIGHTS
Women Employed at Out OF Door
Work,
Beautiful Country Roads in Every
Part OF EurOHs.
2OTTERDAM'S QUAINT SIGHTS
Rome, Italy, July %, 1902.


now l have found it quite impossible.
We sailed FROM Montreal July ., on
the IS. s. Partisan" of the Allan
line, and our trip across the ocean
was without incident, having fair
weather and beautiful sail. Land
ing at Liverpool, we proceeded at
once to Lonuun and Harwich, and
crossed the channel to Rotterdam,
where it seemed we awOkc to such
strange sights we we're at first in
clined to rub our eyes and believe it
all a dream. We have since visited
several very interesting European
cities, but at no point have We found
so many quaint sights as greet the
eye of the tourist at Rotterdam. Here
you see the Dutch street markets,
where everything useful and odd is
offered for sale, and whore it az
peared the merchants or vendors had
all moved into the streets. Some
occupied booths formed of canvas,
but larger number seemed content
to spread their wares on the pavement
and shout to passers by the superior
ity of their merchandise. Here too
we see the famous dog carts of Hol-
land, where the dog is made use of in
place of the horse in drawing all sorts
of vehicles. Very frequently two or
three are hitched under one cart,
while the driver keeps the shafts or
handles in proper position.
All through Europe we find women
employed side by side with men, and
often groups of women alone in the
fields, harvesting hay and grain, hoe
ing and digging, working in mines,
shoveling coal and ores, and carrying
brick and mortar on buildings. One
of our party facetiously remarked
that here was mans paradise, for
women and dogs we're employed to do
the work. | found more women en-
plOyed in outdoor work in Holland
than elsewhere, but it seems custom
airy here, and is not noticed by the
residents. Few horses are seen in the
agricultural districts of Holland,
Germany, Switzerland or Italy. Cat
tie are employed to do most of the
work performed by horses in America.
They are usually driven tandem when
more than two are used. They are
large, fine looking animals, of white
or grey color, and we often saw them
travelling quite fast, i. e., trotting
briskly. | have been favorably inn
pressed with the beautiful country
roads all through Europe. We no
ticed this in England before reaching
the continent, and everywhere the
same condition exists They impress
one who is so accustomed to our bad
roads with the necessity of more care
in the construction of country roads
in America. These roads are paved
with as much care as city streets, are
uniform in width and grass trimmed
with as much care as driveways in
city parks.
Leaving Rotterdam we next visit
Antwerp, and visit the cathedral, see
the masterpieces of Rubens, The
Descent From the Cross, and The
Elevation of the Cross, drive about
the city and leave for Brussels. Our
visit in the latter city is brief but we
employ our time to advantage in see
ing many interesting places. At Co
logne we see the finest Gothic cathu-
dral on the continent. We here meet
our American consul, Mr.. Graves,
and we are pleasantly entertained by
him. Being a former resident of
Decatur, Ill, and majority OF our
party being from that city, the meet
ing was most cordial indeed.
At Cologne we board the Rhine
steamer for an all days sail to May
ence and see the vine-clad hills, the
old castles and fortresses Of war that
keep their watch on the Rhine. After
a good nights rest at the latter city
we visit the "University city" Of
Heidelberg. We Inspect the old cas-
tie. visit the university and drive
over the city and vote it a most
charming place. After doing" Hell
delberg, we board train for Bale and
Bohn, and in the latter city visit the
Beethoven museum, the university,
the markets and public buildings,
and depart by steamer via Lake
Thun, or Iuterlachen. This beautiful
little lake lies nestled among the
Swiss Alps. and forms delightful
trip after a long journey on cars.
Sailing uu this lake one is treated to