Belding banner., 1915-05-26
AMERICAN
TRAVELLER GIVES
NEWS OF COUNTRY

Matthias Lehman received a German
paper from Cincinnati, Ohio a week
ago in which German-American
traveller gives his experiences and OBJ
servations in the Fatherland. AS the
article porrays some OF the habits
and customs of the German people at
present he desires US 10 reproduce IT,
Through the courtesy of Miss Ger
trudesWilson who translated a portion
of il, We are able TO print the first
few paragraphs of the article. We
do not doubt that the whole article
is very interesting. The part which
Miss Wilson has given us follows:
The mode OF life OF the farmer
has changed but little since my youth
The farmer always rises early and
works until late in the evening. The
food is about the same as formerly
OF course they eat five times a day.
AT noon there is usually a vegeta ble
soup and piece of roast meat in
the forenoon and afternoon coffee and
bread and butter. A favorite food the
North Germans is smoked ham,
which is usually eaten raw. Another
favorite food is the potato pancake
The food is very simple but nourish-
ing. The brown bread which the
farmer formerly baked, is now made
at the bakers. The German farmer
is Industrious and frugal and satisfied
with his lot. lie is willing to work
hard 10 earn his living, if he is left
in peace. After a long peace war
has at last been placed upon the
Fatherland and the farmer must en-
dure heavy sacrifice. He does il
without murm uring. His only son.
his servant his best horses are taken
from him. In many cases he must go
and leave wife and children behind
During mobilization L have seen
women planting corn and later plow-
ing the fields with oxen and they did
II without complaint. We must en-
dure the sacrifice" they say, the
F'atherland is in danger" The Ger
man women loves her husband. the
parents their sons, if however, the
Fatherland calls them TO arms, no
sacrafice is too heavy. They are con-
vinced that in this case, the Kaiser.
whom they honor as a true father of
their country, has not wished war.
Since ii has been forced upon them
they will fight TO the last man
As yet there is no lack of servants
in the country. The wages are of
course higher than usual. Loafers,
idlers and beggars / have never seen
in Germany or Switzerland. Every
one is busy. Girls often do the work
of men. one day | passed a field in
which two women in bent postures
seemed to be pulling something. Up
on being asked what they were do
ing, they answered, Pulling thistles." ;"
They wore no gloves but their hands
were like leather
No schools were closed on account
of the war. Often the older teachers
had to carry on the work OF the
younger ones who had been called TO
war The older pupils were often ex-
cused on account of the harvest. Of
ten school began early and lasted un-
til noon, then the children hurried
home and helped in the afternoon.
What | especially noticed among the
pupils was their keen interest, their
attention during the lesson and at all
times extreme politeness. What the
German children learn they learn
thoroughly-not many things but
much is their motto. The teacher re-
mains in his position so long as his
instruction is satisfactory, so usually
he remains in the same school until
old age, then he retires on a pension.