Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-09-18
GERMANY AND ITS RHINE.

As one could not see Germany with
out its Rhine anymore than one could
see France without visiting Paris, we
therefore took passage from Amsterdam
to the city of Cologne. We leave the
quaint, virtuous folk of Holland, their
fiat, grassy lands with sea-walls sur
rounding, the funny fishing and other
craft on the water, and on land the in
dustrious dogs hooked to carts, and
enter a train whose cars are larger
than those in England and the engines
more powerful-probably approximate
ing halfway between the swift little
dummies of the isle and our own huge,
snorting and fleet iron horses.
Reaching Cologne on Saturday
evening, we observe a hustle and hustle
not seen since leaving New York, but
yet it is of a slow order. The hotels
are, if anything, more stupendous, and
much more space is devoted to flowers
and decorations. The one we stopped
at-Hotel du Nord (Hotel of the North
was not the largest here by any means,
but it occupied an entire block. Inside
the square were fountains and gardens
blooming with geraniums, fuchsias and
sage, and in one corner was a chapel
where we were to hear services of the
Church of England on the morrow.
Everything in Europe is done in POM
pous style and in no hurry. In fact
the people seem to think each has a
thousand years to live. and the Ameri-
can may stamp and chafe with impa-
tience, but it puts no move on these
people. You are greeted at the portals
with a highly bedecked and liveried
fellow whom you take to be the owner,
unless you conclude he is prince or the
mayor come to open the doorway for
you- The massive portals swing slowly
back, and two or three more Satans in
livery snatch your grips and coat and
disappear. You-not he-approach the
gentleman in evening dress, standing in
the lobby or vestibule, and engage your
self to him for day, or two days, as
the case may be. After assigning you
to a room you are escorted to the '1ift"
(elevator), by little Satan in gold and
lace where another of the tribe slowly
and with great dignity unfolds pair of
doors and stands erect at attention
until you pass in. When you reach
your floor the doors are opened and
your pilot steps out and stands with
hand saluting, while with martial tread
you are escorted to your room, where
await you the chambermaid with white
immaculate duds and big frizzled head
piece on, and the two aforesaid imps
that had appropriated your baggage.
You find your grips unstrapped and, if
not locked by you, are gapping wide
open. Everything here receives YOU
wide open-that is with palms out
stretched, and if you get off with less
than % per cent above your bill in tips,
you are fellow of good nerve. The
elevator boy, the two imps that it took
to tote two suit-cases up in an elevator.
the prince-receptor and every one of the
mynierdons that hover around you each
expects his tip, not on the quiet but OPEN
ly. Even the ehousekeepers and chamber
maids. who run things on the floors las
do most females over here when work
Is called for, entering your rooms at
all times, and some times without
knocking, upon some trivial errand.)
throw themselves in the way of a shill-
ing, a mark or franc. No use to
champ at the bit, nor can you sneak
out Of it, for you are not allowed
to handle your own luggage within the
princely walls (and this means any
tavern), and when you settle your bill
the head porter, who is really the major
domo. looking like acknowledgement
passes the word to subordinate porter.
who In turn informs the clerk and he
the bookkeeper within hidden recess.
and out comes your bill, already made
off in lines and sections, as each hour
you may have called for something. All
to be done is quick footing up of the
figures on bill sheet from one to three
feet long. This serious document-for
it is always serious and bigger than
you had calculated-is passed back by
the same channels through which the
information came, and you are permitted
to part with your gold in settlement,
provided you have already properly
rewarded the maids and the boys up
stairs. and now you shell out to the hive
of men surrounding you. Ye Godsl no
wonder so many people takeCook tours
to avoid this thing, the tour-master at
tending to all in his party by paying a
lump sum with his bill. But we are
learning, and fiatter ourselves will be
fully prepared when we strike the
vipers of Italy, reputed to be the worst
on the Continent. 1--WE advise for
women and children and men who
would rather pay more than to be an
noyed by these things to take
passage with Cook; but for a
party of men alone it is best to gC
unfettered by a guide or tour master.
There is some zest in roughing it, anG
'innocents abroad will soon become
"wise guys"
Our experience in Germany was ir
few respects a pleasant one. The peo.
pie are gruff and pull your leg" with
much sang froid, if not gleeful AFRO.
gance. The Britisher (the best of alb
the Hollander (the soul of meekness)
and the Frenchman "a fair illustration