The Newark journal. (Newark, Ark.) 1901-1959, 1919-08-07

Al
5AF tages may accrue bF-and-by
W w to Belgium from the restitu.
ton of her old possessions
in the Ei9el. there can be no dispute
that The Haost picturesque townlet in
all those border regions of the former
duehies Of Limburg, Julfers, and Berg
has passed at once into her hands in
the ancient and litle-knoWn, because
secluded, human habitatton on the
Roer which bears the picturesque
name OF AIontjoie, writes Demetrius c.
Boulger in the London Graphic.
In the days of the Franks, before
milestones came into vogue. it was the
practice 10 mark the stages along the
main routes by erecting a pile of
stones, and sometimes it happened
that the SPOT selected was on field of
battle. These heaps or piles We're
'ermed "Montjoie" from the Latin
words Mons Joyis and when the name
Montioie was Incorporated in the bat
tle-cry of France it signifed no more
than Forward s. Denis. The Burgun-
dian battle-ery, "Montjoie ST. Andre, -
of the same period, was only Forward
ST. Andrew. Baedeker's plausible
suggestion that the Romans built n
fortress here and gave it high-sound-
ing name may be relegated to the or
der of fairy tales.
M0ntjoie then WIS nothing more
than a stage or resting point on the
high road of the Franks across Aus
trasia to the Rhine. Situated in a
gorge of the upper Roer. it gave the
easiest access from the south to the
eenters Of Frank, not Teuton, culture
in the AK, Juliers and Stollberg re-
gion.
In Picturesque Setting.
Unlike Malmedy, Mentjoie aspires to
no political role. II rests its claims
to fame in tae pictaresdueness of Its
situation, and the charm of its
medieyal buildings bordering its mar
row streets. The Roer, here only q
shallow stream Tor three parts of the
wear. 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 it 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
yenn, which completely screen the lit
tie town from view, the valley is 50
narrow that 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
it is because ii 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 Kalterherberg, where the Per
lenbach may be traced like silver
thread as it flows through the wood to
join the Roer. This stream is called
the Pearl brook because the dukes of
.r1liers used to derive from II the
pearls FOR which their treasury was
famous. L is true that mussels are
still found, but no one has claimed
for many long day to have discov-
cred a pearl.
0u1int Buildings, Marrow Streets.
The little town is worthy of its set
ting Against the rocky and pre-
eipitaus sides Of the mountains,
through which The river has cut a way.
aided, perhaps. by volcanic action, the
inhabitants hive run up lofty and
many-storied buildings. which seen
10 aspire to reach the SUBMITS that
couiine them in so small and eramped
q space. Houses Of five and six stories
are quite common, and even loftiei
ones may be found. The consequence
Is that the maia street, which at somt
places is not broad enough 20 ALLOW
of two carts passing each other, is a
all times of the day in the shade, am
that early in the evening 1t is huriet
In gloom. This is the more noticeable
because up to short time before tn
war only Oil lamps were used in tn
. public ways. Locomotion after dar
was attended with no small ineonven
fence, and even peril, for false tur
down one OF the numerous passage
under the houses might easily lead t
u dueking in the river.
Tie housez, mostly la the rocco