The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1916-01-19
OLD POLISH CAPITAL
CORRESPONDENT WRITES OF THE
CHARMS OF CRACOW.
City Has Many Beauties, and Its CltL
zens Are Refined and Gentle
Scenes In the Market Held In
tho Great Square.

kuO StSaS 3Hdot0s
Is it not true that cities, like houses,
reflect the characters Of theil inhabi.
tants? Somebody said that Berlin has
the air of rich, well-fed woman who
is dressed by the most expensive mod
istcs and has everything that money
can buy but never the unpurchasable
quality Of charm. Now, Cracow is her
opposite; she Is like lady Of ancient
but unhappy race conscious but un-
complaining Of her great sorrows; she
is fascinating, distinguished, simple.
Cracow, small as it is, is the heart Of
Poland, and in Polands days of FREQ
dom. long ago, was it's capital.
But the object Of this little article
is nor to relate tho tragic history Of
Poland, but just to give brief
sketch Of the simple life in beautiful
Cracow, before the war began.
In the middle Of the town Is the
great square where stands the splen-
did church Of Our Lady. There is
covered market, where the stalls
are mostly kept by Jews, but in the
open are the peasants from the coun.
tables and poultry. The peasant
women wear gay-colored clothes and
carry huge burdens. on their backs,-
q dozen milk cans, bundle of brush
wood, q bushel Of bread baked in
great loaves nearly two yards long.
In their high clumsy boots they tramp
sturdily along, quite able and willing
to do mans work in the world as
we'll as to bear woman's burden.
A lady who visited Cracow shortly
before the outbreak Of the war was
greatly impressed by the burdens
borne by people Of little higher rank
were mostly gccsc-white, long
necked, squawking geese. Every 9th
er man, woman and child seemed to
be carrying a goose. Sometimes they
were carried under the arm Of the
purchaser. Often under each arm,
sometimes in a carpet bag with long
neck protruding and the bright eyes
eagerly searching the passers-by as
though enjoying the novel ride. Some
times a basket contained as many as
three geese and sometimes they were
slung unceremoniously over the shoul-
der Of the owner, their legs tied to-
gether and their necks craned up to
prevent a rush Of blood to the head.
Now and then a stout lady would pass
with a goose in the ample bosom Of
her dress or coat, only the head Of
the fowl showing under her chin. The
geese were generally treated with
consideration and respect, children
stopping ta caress their snaky nccks.
| 1t was hard to believe that these pets
were destined for the pot on the NOR
row. To be sure thcro were other
| things for sale besides geese; rolls OF
| golden butter and leaves OF cheese
| folded together in way that you new
! er sec outside Poland.
| In another part OF the great square
! Is the vegetable market, with it's
green and purple cabbagos, cauli-
flowers and Brussels sprouts; satisfy,
! onions, and dried mushrooms on long
4 strings worn like necklace over the
/ nCcEs of tho vendors.
But on goose market day in era.
I COW the center Of the stage belongs
to the goose. a fcw abuShcd hons
were offered for sale CT a lonesome
| turkey, but they scarncd TO feel they
! had no right there, and were ready to
/ hido their heads.
/ In the center Of the square sar the
| public woighcr with his scales. II
an old lady felt that she had been
| given short weight for half pound
| OF butter sho brought ii to him to
I weigh, and he even took hand in
the disputes about tho size and quail
| ity Of the geese.
The people that you sec in tho
streets Of Cracow are beautiful TO look
! upon. Thoy do not look rich, but
! they know how to wear worn clothes
| with 4 kind Of natural elegance. Thcn
/ their faces are expressive. clean cut
I and fine: they know how 60 walk and
how to stand they arc rot rude, bnt
I gentle. What is to be The destiny Of
these clever, refined, unfortunate
4 Poles VIC do not vet know. Exchange
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