Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-10-11

nally intended to symbolic the four
rivers Of Paradise. This baptisnal
font dates. we were told from the be-
ginning Of the thirteenth century A
metallic "Christussaeule" or Pillar Of
Christ, Is q work Of the eleventh cen
tury. IT il patterned after the Ira ian
column at Rome, and presents, upon a
spiral band entwined about it. twenty
eight representations from the life Of
Christ
In tho court without, againt the apsis
We found the famous "Thnusand-year
Rose-stalk," remarkable for size and
beauty.
an what sense can you call this a
thnusa nd year rose-stalk?" / asked
our conductor.
"Of course no individual rose-stalk
can live q thousand years" he replied.
"Eut here new shoots have been start
cd continually from the parent root,
so that in a very true sense we see be
fore rs here a manifestation hf the NE
nf he same rose-bush which fiouriahei
on the same spot a thousand years
ago.
Around this plant there hovers a
glow of pious romance. Inc story y
that Kaiser Ludwig the Pious lost MS
yav while hunting in the wood. In
,vcariness he here lay down beneath
wild rose-bu-'h. on which he hung a
sacred vessel he had carried on the
b,,rt lie fell asleep. When he
avn,,a tie place was covered with
"hoIv SNOW" while summers glory lay
on All around The sacred vessel
f,nz,.n firmly to the rose bush, could not
io detached therefrom; yet the roses
bloomed about it in full ana perlect
,.,uty In ,,revencc Of this wonder,
~. l.,is.r roade a vow to the Virgin
Mary that he would build church
uuun this spot. He kept the vow. anu
r.. Iire Of The rose bush has been per-
,,ct.iat..l in the manner explained Such
1; ~ e:ory Of the "thousand year rose
Inch lust opposite and but a lew
,.,rd., distant stands a small chapti
dating from A. ID. 1922. the Wooueh
door; are sadly marred by the past SIX
centuries. but judicious use OF Dolls
and IRON bands and braces, sun nous
the parts together. ~
After eptndng some time IN "lsh'-
seeing and hill-climbing ana III 'he
rcfrcShment Of reStanfdh'-Sdiu ueh'
wa went 10 our hotel. Late one AFTER
noon We returned to the Domhof OF
cathedraI-yard, and entered the DOM
eci,c,,ke. Here We We're again re-
minded Of the antiquity OF our SUI
rouu.iincs by signs Of the Old DolhNei
ron who for centuries have retired 10
this; ulIitt refreshments room Tor de-
In..,otinn meditation. inspiration. The
,tmnsph.ra II Hilarsheim is peculiar
,l,4r.. is u strange blending of 'he past
1.;d pr, sent. Z curious mingllhs Oh the
present reality with the ancient dream
OR. M il almost SEEMS, Of the ahcirht
reality with the present dream but
hotling in this atmosphere could op-
s,IIr, the keen relish of the excellent
r,.r:l>t We enjoyed in tine Dnm"chehkr.
Ilnr ,Er spirit of r-past was there. ana
! ,hor"h th,. very spirit of the past was
th,-,,. also. We were somehow con-
:, ioue that 10 s,,iIit Of the past coiiid
.x.4I the Shirt Of tn present.
,fl,,. thn rcturn 10 our hotel set out
60, ,.,,. Gtrnlauia where cheerful
..mr2uv was assembled. Among
them was an American from Illinois
Ana 1T that mnm,nt Illinois didn't
seem half SO far away from Maine
os il did at home. And that is re-
| nin1rr. on, of the Germans present
| yp.Ikine of the earthquake at san
| Francisco and Valparaiso, inquired
whether we felt any trace Of the 1or-
nvr in Maine.
To find more agreeable company
| than was gathered at the Germahld
that evening one would need to travel
far. Intelligent and witty conVersa-
tion rolled and bubbled and sparkted
on. until one young man of generous
height. anl breadth to -match-a fellow
| with a countenance created for smiles
ana sung-struck up a lively air. An
other opened the piano and played.
| The rest joined iii the singing, ana for
the next hour the room throbbed win
| the rolling melody of a dozen splendid
| German VoiceS-all rich and clear.
| one man who had been clipper all
the evening and was not taciturn any
way, could now contain himself no
longer He would make speech. De-
| spite good ma tured Interruptions he as
| good-naturedly but perSistently held
the floor and finally succeeded IN