The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-07-27
ABBEVILLE man WRITES FROM
GERMANY.
Interesting Pen Sketch Of the Country,
Inns, Etc.
Marburg, Ger, June 25, 1910.

Marburg, Ger, June 25, 1910.
| To the Editor of the Press and Banner;
Dear Sir: There are lots of things here
that strike the ordinary American as re-
markable. or these I think the first is
the remarkable regularity in the appear
ance of the fields and forests. The lines
are as clear cut and as straight as those
of an inlaid checkerboard, Here is q
quadrangle of wheat; next to it is quad
rangle of barley, then one of clover, and
and then one Of potatoes, and so on, each
plot being the same shape and size, usual
ly containing about a half acre.
This part of Germany (Hesse) is quite
hilly: and to quote from German profess
ser, there is hardly any sight to be imag-
ined more beautiful than these emerging
m-behind-one- another er-ike-the-slde-cur-
tains-of-a-theater hills. They are all for
est clad. Fir trees are predominant, but
there are some pines and cedars and few
oaks. And DENSE it would be saying
little to assert that a crow couldn't fly
through some Of these forests. l don't be-
these trees, even on the Seventh day. so
thick are the bOughs. believe the Ger
mans have written more fairy tales and
stories Of goblins and witches and gnomes
and dwarfS and giants than any other
people. 1t is the natural thing. 1t would
make anyone think OF this elfland folk to
walk through one Of these forests.
When you come out from between two
walls OF trees into an opening there Is in
sight on the top OF every prominent hill
the ruins Of some old rObber baron's cas-
tie, with walls four, five, eight feet thick
in places. There is usually long climb
to make before you get to one of the ruins,
but you may be sure that the view Is al
ways best from here. The robber barOns
knew their business, and they chose
places for their castles where no one could
look down on them, Froms one of these
castles an express train seems hardly to
move SO great is the distance they COM
mand. On the hills are always the forests,
the cutting of whic ch is regulated by gov
ernment supervision. In the valleys and
to crops. There is not any waste or fallow
land. The Germans seem to know how to
make the most of all the square feet OF
soil they have. There Is no "brag- patch"
that makes better wheat than the field
around it. but the heads go up all togeth-
Ell. 1t is like a garden.
If there is anything moro pleasant than
to walk along one OF these macadam roads
among such fields and forests, it is to stop
and rest The best place to stop is at one
Of the wayside inns. The wayside inn like
y
construction Of which we do not see much
at home. The building is framed Of stout
beams just the thickness intended for the
walls and the interstices filled in with
brick, or mortar work of different kinds;
so that you see the framing from the out
side. Frequently the mortar Is plastered
over and the smooth surface thus present
ed offers an irresistible temptation to the
artistically inclined builder, who sketches
oil cn,fc, np EfNp nvn rNln
the kitchen wall may have plate of pota-
toes painted here, few links of sausage
there and stein of beer between. All of
which, however delightfully."- picturesque it
may be. is entirely unnecessary from the
point Of view of advertising; for when you
are close enough to appreciate this art,
the sound Of Observation-Disclosures in
side and the Odor CT things cooking will
draw out any mans six or seven cents for
cup of coffee and some bread and butter
or cake. You eat out OF doors Of course II
the Meather is not bad This is one of the
most pleasant features Of the inn.
| The Germans have more poetry in them
than any people in the world. You agree
to this statement when you see that they
are so full of it they write it on the walls.
| Thus you see amOug the eXteriSr decora-
tions sentiment like this copied from
the walls Of an inn:
It's beauty is its cleanliness,
Your pleasure IS its happiness,
Its piety it's blessing.
| OF course it looks better in German, and
sounds better too. Let's make one other
trial This is q sentiment which some
moralizing architect put up under the
caves of his house
| If this house should chance to stand
| Till hate and envy leave the land,
Then it will last till Judgments blast.
And SO with numbers of these houses,
especially the ones more or less old fash
| iOncd.
Yours truly,
The Ordinary American.