People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1894 — Correspondence. [ARTICLE]

Correspondence.

* ACROSS THE DEEP. Berlin and Iler Life. From our Special Correspondent. Berlin, April 14, ’94. It was my serious intention of ceasing these rambling letters but I thought possibly a number of German citizens might read with interest a few impressions pf tfye “Fatherland” which has bpened its doors and places of learning to all who might come »and partake of the rich stream of knowledge which flows at the bid of her scholars. Germany has long been the home of philosophy and science. While she has produced no Darwin yet she has a Kant and Luther. Schiller and Goethe have carried her literature wherever culture has found its seat, and her rich and U glorious music is the world’s music, and its beautiful melodies have penetrated every ■ land where its force has moulded men 'to a better appreciation of life and its possibilities and power. Berlin is the centre of German civilization and in its present status is comparatively a modern city, although it has its historic beginning in the 13th century. It is not as gay in outward appearance as Vienna, the capital of the Austrian Empire. It jyot possess as much art as Dresden, Munich or Vienna but it possesses more real power and qualities as a great city than either of these cities, although you. might have difficulty in convincing a Bavarian, Austrian or Saxon of this position. But Berlin will not compare with London, Paris and I believe that in many ways our own New York City possesses attractions that »are superior to her. Berlin does snot possess especial historic interest. It has only been occupied as a royal residence since about 1713 and then only nominally as the principal royal palace is situated some twenty miles from the city, in Potsdam. The country around so far as I have been able to see would be a barren. sandy waste if it were not for the superior system of Ger man land culture and here it miserably fails, because there is Ernest absolutely no soil as a .basis for plant culture. The , country around the city is flat, but to the southeast is cut up by many small lakes which are lined with villas, presenting a f very pleasant view because it | partakes so much of the American method of summer residence. |A large park lies to Ihe west of Ithe city which is little less than la huge forest cut into numerous [paths, drives and lakelets, while we are often surprised by beautiful retreats and pretty statues, as well as playing fountains. The parkis constantly melodious with, singing birds while its waters are alive with ducks and swans as. well as the gay boating party. The park is about 3xl miles and affords a magnificent retreat from the noise of the street. The part of the city that has the principal attractions is almost as regularly laid out as Chicago. The street which is always referred to when Berlin is mentioned is Unter den Linden. The west end begins at the “Thiergarten” which is the park just described, which means , “garden of the animals,” but possesses none, besides those mentioned above, except the swarms of people that seek its pleasant walks. At this end of the street is the famous “Branded burger Thor” or the gate of the original wall around the city which opened into it from Brandenburg. None pass through the center of this gate, which is a collonade except the royal family. The street is rather broad and the center is lined by two rows of trees of the linden ■species and whence the name of ■the street “Unter den Linden,”

which simply means “under the linden trees,” and the most scrubby trees I ever saw, to be exalted as they are. Most any farmer would have cut them down long ago as worthless remains of what might have been a vigorous growth. Along this street are to be found the “swell’ restaurants and shops, but really nothing to compare with many of such places in our own cities. Several palaces and royal residences are also to be found bordering this street but are very plain buildings outside. A very fine equestrian statue of Frederick the Great, adorns the east end of the street. The University building which was formerly a royal residence, is on the Linden and at the east end is the Berlin residence of the Emperor, a rather large building with scarcely any outward adornment. The main business street isFrederich and runs almost due north and south, pretty nearly through the entire city. It is on this street that you will find your crowds at all hours, and on Sunday afternoon it is a very interesting pastime to pass along this street and that of “Unter den Linden” and observe the methods in which the Germans, or thousands of them, enjoy their Sunday afternoons. The German people are great walkers, and at the same time they all seem to possess an intense curiosity to see and to be seen. So on the Sunday afternoons and in the evenings of the week days they line up in a sort of an endless chain and pass from one end of the street to the other and turn and repeat the process. At the same time one row is steadily glancing into the face of the other and if a lady discovers a new dress that impresses her she stops and proceeds to investigate it. Men gaze ruthlessly upon apparently refined women who are there for the express purpose of being gazed at. A new dress or bonnet must be initiated on this street. This premeditated staring that the German public indulge in as an apparent innocent pastime, is something that irritates the American lady when she appears on the street. It is something to which she is so totally unaccustomed that she imagines the people of Europe are a very wicked people and unrefined to do such things. But the poor girl is drawing correct conclusions from incorrect data. People may stare and not be really wicked as the very best people take this afternoon aesthetic exercise in enjoying the view of the person and dress of their neighbor. But she is correct in that the people of Europe are morally pretty wicked and Berlin is no exception. More anon concerning the city.