Southern world : journal of industry for the farm, home and workshop. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1882-18??, February 01, 1883, Image 1

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Holiday Life in Germany. —'iini Christmas is the “Weihnacht," or conse crated night, and the genuineness with which it is observed can new bo doubted after once witnessing its observance. Every family, however small or poor, each household, if it has only one room, has its tree. The trees are of all sizes, from two ■at to those which tower and graze the lofty and frescoed ceilings in homes of tho wealthy. Thev range in price from a few cents to a dollar, and the markets look like veritable forests. The small ones are gener ally fastened in to flat boards and covered with moss to represent grass. The tree is carried home several days before the event ful night, and the good mother is very busy Bllvering and gilding nuts and ornaments, and making little balloons, with fluted sides, from fancy-colored paper. If possible, one or more of every kind of friflt known to the family is hung upon the tree. In fact, there is nothing the Christmas tree may not be expected to bring forth. Every variety of berry, with green leaves, is greatly prized; tiny cakes and bonbons, in fanciful designs, are suspended from every branoh. Narrow bits of^cotton are often ingeniously placed "of, the oTancfiPs, tA'Veprekent snow. "'Then come the candle-holders; and whether they be highly polished and support wax tapers, or a few bits of twisted tin, the childrens’ pleasure is the leading feature. The expense of these trees is sometimes very great. Everything the child heart rev els in can be found ; but no tree is complete withont a doll (bound in its cradle German fashion) for the girls, and a wooden horse on wheels (the universal toy of Germany) for the boys. The presents for the parents •re placed around the room. After the * .presents have been distributed, coffee, cakes Sod-apples may be banded to each one pres ent, or an invitation to the dining-room, where a bounteous feast has been prepared. For two days all places of business are closed, and the city gives itself up to merri ment. New Year’s eve, the whole city seemed to remain up, till the town clock informed all that a new year had come. Then the win dows flew open, end.one heard, on all sides, ‘•Proiit Neujahr," which is about equal to our "Happy New Year.’’ The streets were also the scene from which thousands of voices shouted aloud, “Proiit Neujahr.'' The New Year’s kiss is an old custom, still observed by many of the German families. As the clock begins tolling the new year' in, the celebration begins. As there were six of. us, each had five to kiss. It is a custom, according to American ideas, that might be very pleasant or very disagreeable. Leipzig is an old town, at least a thousand years old, with about the population of Louisville, Kentucky. The immense houses . t are from four to ten stories high, and the streets are narrow and winding, though scrupulously clean. Until recently, the city has been surround ed by a wall, which has now been removed, to give place to a beautiful promenade, planted with shade trees. This promenade 'is two miles in circumference, and on fine afternoons thousands of pedestrians resort thither, and on holidays entire families are seen, mothers and fathers, each carrying a child, and larger ones following. No people enjoy a holiday more than the Germans. The Leipzigers are very patriotic, and I had the pleasure, two months ago, of wit nessing the celebration of the victory of Se dan, in the war of 1870 and 1871. They en- thuMa'di iall) celebrated the day with im mense pu tessipus, music. orations, beer and everything thai is proj 3i' for a German, but, according to our American ideas, they were all too orderly. There were no fights, no drunken men (of course that is not^to be regretted), and I heard not a single yell of applause. I thought it would be a good idea, if some one would set those staid peo ple an example, but I did not care to appear before a German magistrate for disturbing the peace. The new parts of the city, built mainly within the last fifty years, are outside of the old wall. At one, two or three miles from the city are, perhaps, a dozen flourishing villages, some of them with a population of 10,000. In one of these villages (Gholis) Germany’s most loved poet, Schiller, lived for a while, and his little room is pointed out to visitors. Unlike our American cities, Leipzig has several large open squares, which are used as markets, and everythinga German loves can be bought there. Their annual fairs and public meetings are also held there. Leipzig can boast of several large parks, and in summer, many people visit them to study and have quiet thoughts. Nobody whistles, nobody halloes, nobody speaks above an un dertone. The Germans literally mind their own business; for you may be sitting quiet ly alone,' communing with your own' thoughts, and a German comes and sits be side you. He does not interrupt you by the usual “good day,’’ and ask you inconceiva ble questions about yourself and America; but, like yourself, falls into a reverie. In deed, I believe, that all Germans are dream ers—and this, as much as their reverence for law, makes them very quiet people. The literary, theological and musical ad vantages are as fine as any place in Germany, and many Americans are studying here. Concerts are given daily, by very fine or chestras, in various places in the city; and for three hours one can sit and enjoy the production of the great composers for ten cents. J ust think; for the price of a glass of soda water in America 1 The Germans are a music-loving people, and almost every Ger man plays on some instrument The theaters are open every night in the year, except one or two nights, when they are closed, in respect to the church fast days. Both the theater and opera here are consid ered superior to the stage in America. The churches are not numerous for the population. The prevailing religion is that of the Lutheran Church, though all creeds are tolerated. They have a Roman Church, a Synagogue, an Episcopal chapel and an American Luthern Church. Some of these churches are nearly 400 years old. The Ni colai Church is famous, from the fact that Luther once preached from its pulpit. Around the city, on the streets and in the parks, are several monuments. Three or four of them commemorate the bloody bat tle of October, 1813, between the French and the Allies. A mile from the city is the Na poleon stone. This is a large block of stone, placed in the elevation from which Napoleon watched the progress of the battle in Octo ber, 1818. It is surrounded by an iron rail ing, outside of which trees have been plant ed. On the block, also in stone, lie Napo leon's bat and sword. Ono side of the stone records the fact, that hqre Napoleon viewed the battle ; and the other side gave God the glory for the victory of the Allies. In a lit tle house, near the Napoleon stone, can be seen cannon balls, picked up on the battle field, and several skulls perforated by buV lets. This monument.\yill always attract many visitors, especially those who admire the great military skill of the hero. His love of war no one will commend. That he had genius, none can deny. The surround *ing ground isnow cultivated. Itwas a point well chosen for seeing, being the highest ground in the vicinity. Leaving this monument, we pass another, now inside of the city, which records the fact that here the allied forces stormed the wall on October 18. On the opposite side of the town, another marks the spot where tho retreating French blew up the bridge over the little river to prevent the pursuit of their foe. The blowing up the bridge, however, was premature, causing the loss of 25,000 French as prisoners, and many thousands more by drowning. And, as history tells ns, this great battle lasted four days, and engag ed nearly half a million troops. The Ger mans seem to be very proud of their victory, but I think, without any just grounds; for the allied forces more than doubled those of Napoleon. The cemeteries are neat and well kept, but present a very different appearance from an American cemetery. They are all perfectly level, as indeed the entire city is, and con tains many illustrious dead, but very few ex pensive monuments. They are not places of resort, as our Cave Hill is. I attended a bu rial, a short while ago, and approve of many of their ideas. After the preacher had finished his dis course, the frl*rtds»u‘ the deceased advanced to the grave and strewed flowers on the cof fin, and, when there were no more flowers, others threw in handfuls of earth. This they call the last mark of respect. No one is expected to attend the funeral but imme diate friends, and this I think preferable to the costly American style; for the grave is the last place for ostentation. The German name for cemetery is very pretty—"Friedh- of,” quiet place. They have also another—, "God’s Acre.’’—Cor. Louiiville Poit. pyrotechnic display in the Park extension, beginning at 7 o'clock. It is expected that many distinguished guests from all parts of the Union, and from abroad, will be pres ent ; ground Georgia ScsquI-Ccutonutul. The arrangements for the 150th anniver sary of the landing of Oglethorpe and the settlement of Georgia are completed, and there is no question about the occasion be ing one which will long be remembered in tbe history of Savannah as a notable event. The whole programme has been published. At 6 o’clock a. m., the bells of the city will ring one hundred and fifty times, commem orative of the Sesqui-Centennial anniver sary of the settlement of Georgia. At nine o’clock the various military and civic bodies taking part in the procession will form into line and march over the route designated. At 10 o'clock a. m. tbe schooner or ship will arrive with Oglethorpe and the colonists on board; they will land at the foot of Gas House Hill under an artillery salute; tbe party will proceed to the Battery (North side of Bay street), where they will be wel- corned by the Indians, and the speech of congratulation and friendship delivered to the Yamacraws by Oglethorpe, and the re ply of welcome by their Sachem Tomochi chi shall take place. The shipping in tbe harbor will be decked with flags of all na tions, and should England and the United States navy be represented, the salutes and ceremonies customary on such occasion will take place. Upon the conclusion of these ceremonies the pageant will proceed to the position assigned them in the parade. The column will then be put in motion, and will be massed in front of the Theatre from the platform of which the oration by GoV ernor Alexander H. Stephens will be deliv ered, and the Ode written for the occasion by Paul H. Hayne Esq, will be read by Col, C. C. Jones, of Augusta. The streets will be appropriately decorated and an arch is to span Bull street at the corner of Broughton embellished with bowers,evergreens, inscrip tions and a bust of Oglethorpe. Tbe festiv ities to close on the same night by a grand An Orntor'M l’owcr. It was in the Clay campaign of 1854. An immense audience, 15,000 or 20,000, had as sembled to hear Preston. A large stage had been erected, which was crowded with prominent persons, and the multitude was packed around it. There was the usual buz and confusion incident to such occasion, until after Preston had been speaking a few moments, when it began to subside and there was a dead silence, except the music of that wonderful voice. He was in fine condition for his work and went at it in his best style. The silence seemed to intensify as the tide of his eloquence poured over the dense mass of enchanted listeners. With the swell of his sonorous voice the audience seemed to rise on tiptoe and sink hack again with its ebbing cadences;and again they swayed with the sweep of his arm like a wheat field to the breeze. At length, in a magnificent burst of inspiration—with hia long arm raised high, his eyes flashing, and the multitude hanging breathlessly to hia words—he seized the wig which he wore, held it up over his shining bald head, and still soaring in his splendid flight, replaced it cross-wise and soared on ; and there was not in that vast audience, the least ripple of laughter at this most ridiculous perform ance, but, on the contrary, no one seemed to notice, so^completely entranced was every listener.— Charlotte (N. C.) Journal. Chicory Farming, Chicory farming, says the San Francisco Chronicle, promises to be one of the coming industries of California farming. Chicory was first planted in that State about fifteen years ago, but since that time it has been extensively raised on the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers. Chicory is cultivated a small scale in some of the Eastern States, and in some places in that section grows wild in abandoned fields and orch ards. It grows very luxuriantly on the bot tom lands of Louisiana and Texas. The root of the plant, when being prepared for use, is cut by a machine Into small square blocks, then placed in the sun to dry, after ward roasted, and finally ground in a mill. Chicory possesses few elements in common with coffee, and yet it imparts a taste to it greatly fancied by certain coffee drinkers in Europe. In France and Belgium the common people have become so accustomed to mix chicory with the coffee they drink that they prefer it so prepared to the bever age in its pure state. Travelers in those coun tries, even when they purchase pure coffee for their private consumption, find that the cooks will mix chicory with it, even after having received strict orders to the contrary. A writer in an exchange says: "I discov ered many years ago that wood could be made to last longer than iron in the ground, but the process is so simple that it was not well to make a stir about it. I would as soon have poplar, basswood or ash as any other kind of timber for fence posts. I have taken out basswood posts after having been set for several years that were as sound when taken out as when put in the ground. Time and weather seemed to have no effect on them. The posts can be prepared for less tban two cents apiece. This is the recipe: Take boiled linseed oil and stir in pulveriz ed coal to the consistency of paint. Put a coat of this over the timber, and there is no man who will live to see it rot.” PUBLISHED \ tt/^t TT TWICK A MONTH. | V ULi. II. ATLANTA, GA., * n I ONE DOLLAR ■No. 7. t A YEAR.