Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-21
An Augusta Teacher Abroad---L etter No. 8

Alongside with the Christmas
Festivities comes the Christmas Fair,
an event of historical Significance.
Since the twelfth century there has
been an international fair during the
holiday season at Leipzig. At that
time every nation was given a safe
escort to the city whether the different
neighboring countries were at war or
not. The Fair was a signal for a
peace reigned while traders and
merchants came to this central city
and displayed their goods in the
squares of Leipzig.
So it was the year we were there
as if we had been transported many
centuries back. There in the squares
booths were set up and although the
weather was cold, men and women
smilingly displayed their wares. The
goods were evidently intended for use,
for they were so coarse that they
would Outlive more than one
generation. Intertwined among the
stands and forming an effective back
ground were innumerable Christmas
trees. The only things We purchased
we're some imitation fudge and those
post cards for which Germany is so
noted as she is the country which
originated them.
The booth that attracted most at
tention was a small one which had
above it the American flag and a large
sign which announced that American
pope corn was for sale there. AS it
was a novelty to the German small
boy who never ceased to wonder at
those large white flakes, the enterprise
ing American was surrounded by an
ever large and attentive audience.
Closely following the Christmas Fair
comes the New Years one, which
merely consists in a grand pictorial
display of post cards, and as it was
not an attraction strong enough %
keep US in Leipzig we decided to make
a weeks trip in Germany.
We had carefully planned this trip
as We wished to see how comfortably
and economically We could do it, SO off
we started one morning with only our
handbags for luggage in which there
WIS ii Vi IL new hlIIu VI huCiltIl
given to us by Herr Sauerbier when
he heard that we were going on a
journey.
Dresden was our first stop and the
ride there was most interesting. As
We were able to understand German a
little by this time we overheard much
personal conversation. The Germans
seeing our English guide-books and
supposng us to be ignorant of their
language did not hesitate to comment
upon us to each other. ana various
was the information which we
learned about ourselves, as we kept on
speaking English 80 as not to disturb
them and so spoil our own enjoyment.
We planned to spend New Years
Day at Dresden and as we reached the
conservative little capital of Saxony
We felt a cosy warmth and home
like sensation.
We avoided the larger hotels and in
a side street almost in the shadow of
the Zwinger (the royal palace) we
found a small German Inn where we
could have room for two marks
apiece, provided that we took some OF
our meals there. SO we arranged to
breakfast in their dining-room. though
that breakfast only consisted of the
Stole which was now beginning to
grow hard, coffee and some orange
marmalade.
Early New Years morning we
strolled along the Bruhl Terrace, Ores
denis lovely promenade which gave us
view of both the old and the new city,
Of the four bridges which span the
Elbe and lead US into the royal
grounds where we stopped to look at
the photographs taken by the royal
photographer.