The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-07-25

MIMI tageS may accrue by-and-by
to Belgium from the restitu-
ton of her old possessions
IN the Eifel, there can be no dispute
that the most picturesque townlet in
all those border regions of the former
duchies of Limburg, Juliers, and Berg
has passed at Once into her hands in
the ancient and little-known, because
secluded, human habitation ON the
Roer which bears the picturesque
name of Montjoie, writes Demetrius G.
Boulger in the London Graphic.
In the days of the Franks, before
milestones came into vogue, it was the
practice to mark the stages along the
main routes by erecting u pile of
stones, and sometimes it happened
that the spot selected was on a field of
battle. These heaps or piles were
termed "Montjoie" from the Latin
words Mons Jovis, and when the name
Montjoie was incorporated in the bat
tle-cry of France it sighted no more
than Forward st. Denis. The Burgun-
dian battle-cry, "Montjoie st. Andre"
Of the same period, was only Forward
st. Andrew. Baedeker's plausible
suggestion that the Romans built a
fortress here and gave it a ~high-sound-
Ing Dame may be %relegated to the or
der Of fairy tales.
Montjoie then was nothing more
than a stage or resting point on the
high road of the Franks across Aus
,Ng;a ~ A. DI.-O SSgA.-l T.
gorge Of the upper Roer, it gave the
easiest access from the south to the
centers of Frank, not TeutOn, culture
In the AK, Juliers and Stollberg re-
gion.
In Picturesque Setting.
Unlike Malmedy, MOntjoie aspires to
no political role. 1t rests it's claims
to fame in the picturesqueness Of it's
situation, and the charm of It's
medieval buildings bordering its mar
shallow stream for three parts of the
year, ripping over a stony bottom,
flows through the town, and In some
places even under the houses! 1t is
swollen in the early spring by the
melting SHOWS of the Eifel, but it has
scoOped out for itself SO deep a chan
mel that floods are rare, as 1T sweeps
along with increased volume past
Duren and Juliers to join the Mouse
in Holland.
Surrounded by the most beautiful
forests of the Hertogenwald or Hohe
Venn, which completely screen the lit
tie town from view, the valley is SO
narrow that q cricket ball might be
thrown from the height on which are
the ruins of the old castle to the Oppo-
site cliff on which is the Halter or
watch tower. This was placed where
t is because it allowed of a better
view up and down the valley in the
days when the robber counts of Reich
enstein levied toll on travellers even if
they did not completely plumber them.
The scenery is finest In the direc-
ton of KaIterherberg, where the Per-
Ienbach may be traced like a silver
thread as it flows through the wood to
Join the ROer. This stream is called
the Pearl brook because the dukes Of
Juliers used to derive from it the
pearls for which their treasury was
famous. 1t Is true that mussels are
still found, but no one has claimed
for many a long day to have discOv-
cred a pearl.
Quaint Buildings, Narrow Streets.
The little town is worthy of its set
ting. Against the rocky and pre-
eipitous sides Of the mountains,
through which the river has cut a way,
aided, perhaps, by volcanic action, the
inhabitants have run up lofty and
many-storied buildings, which seem
to aspire to reach the SUBMITS that
confine them In so small and cramped
4 space. Houses of five and six stories
are quite common, and even loftier
pnes may be found. The consequence
Is that the main street, which at some
places is not broad enough to allow
Of two carts passing each other, Is at
all times Of the day in the shade, and
hat early In the evening 1t Is buried
n gloom. This Is the more noticeable
because up to a short time before the
war only oil lamps were used In the
public ways. LocOmotion after dark
vas attended with no small incopyen-
ence, and even peril. for a false turn
Town one Of the numerous passages
,nder the houses might easily lead to
. ducking In the river.
The houses. mostly In the rococO