*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 45983 ***

[Transcriber's Note: Underscores are used as delimiters for _italics_]


[Illustration: FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL, NEW YORK.--_Page 18._]




  TO
  NUREMBERG AND BACK

  A Girl's Holiday

  BY
  AMY NEALLY

  _ILLUSTRATED_

  NEW YORK
  E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY
  31 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET
  1892

  Copyright, 1892
  BY E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY




CONTENTS.


  CHAPTER                              PAGE

  I.    AN UNEXPECTED PLEASURE           11

  II.   NEW YORK FOR THE FIRST TIME      19

  III.  LIFE ON A STEAMER                25

  IV.   A FIRST GLIMPSE OF ENGLAND       32

  V.    A WEEK IN LONDON                 36

  VI.   OFF FOR THE CONTINENT            44

  VII.  UP THE RHINE                     50

  VIII. THE LEGEND OF THE LORELY         58

  IX.   MAYENCE TO NUREMBERG             66

  X.    NUREMBERG                        70

  XI.   NUREMBERG.--_Continued_          82

  XII.  STRASBOURG                       91

  XIII. HOMEWARD BOUND                  101




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


                                                 PAGE

  FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL, NEW YORK         _Frontispiece_

  THE GREAT STEAMER BACKED OUT INTO THE RIVER      22

  HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT                             29

  NELSON COLUMN                                    36

  TOWER OF LONDON                                  41

  HAMPTON COURT                                    42

  BRUSSELS BOURSE                                  47

  COLOGNE CATHEDRAL                                51

  LAHNECK CASTLE                                   55

  MOUSE TOWER                                      62

  MAYENCE--GENERAL VIEW                            67

  NUREMBERG WALLS                                  71

  ALBRECHT DÜRER'S HOUSE                           73

  NUREMBERG CASTLE                                 75

  NUREMBERG                                        82

  STRASBOURG CATHEDRAL--SIDE VIEW                  91

  STRASBOURG STORKS                                95

  STRASBOURG-CATHEDRAL CLOCK                       97

  PLACE DE LA CONCORDE                            102

  PETIT TRIANON                                   109

  THAMES EMBANKMENT                               112




TO NUREMBERG AND BACK.

A GIRL'S HOLIDAY.




CHAPTER I.

AN UNEXPECTED PLEASURE.


One day in the early spring, Alice Winter came home from school,
and, after the usual question at the door, "Is mamma at home?" rushed
upstairs, and found to her great surprise that her papa was at home,
talking very earnestly to Mrs. Winter.

When Alice came into the room, Mr. Winter stopped talking, and she
wondered very much what they could have been talking about so earnestly,
as all she heard was her papa asking, "Do you think we had better take
her with us?"

"Why, papa! What is the matter? Are you going away? Are you sick?
What made you come home so early?" were the questions which Alice gave
rapidly, without waiting for an answer.

Mr. Winter said, "Yes, dear, I am obliged to go to Nuremberg, Germany,
on business immediately, and mamma is trying to make up her mind whether
it is best for her to go with me. She does not like to leave you for so
long a time, and we do not think it wise to take you with us, when you
are getting on at school so nicely."

"O papa, please take me with you. I shall learn just as much on such
a lovely trip as at school, and you know I can take care of mamma, and
keep her from being lonely when you are busy. O papa, please ask mamma
to let me go. I should be so unhappy to stay without you, even with dear
Aunt Edith, and I know there is where you would send me."

"Alice, dear, go to your room and get ready for dinner, and leave us to
talk it over," said Mr. Winter. "My dear little daughter knows that no
matter which way we decide, it will be as we think is best for all of
us. You know it is as hard for us to leave you as it will be for you to
let us go."

Alice left the room without another word, with her heart beating very
fast from the excitement of it all.

The thought of going to Europe across the great ocean was a very happy
one to a bright girl of fifteen who was studying all the time about the
places she would visit and the objects of interest she would see, if her
papa would only decide to take her.

Alice sat down by the window of her pretty room, and looked out on the
village street, far away in the northern part of the State of New York.
She wondered how the ocean looked, as she had never seen any larger body
of water than that of Lake Erie, when she went with her mother to make a
visit in Cleveland.

She also wondered if her state-room on the steamer would be as large as
the room she was in; also, would she be sick, and how would all those
wonderful cities look; if they could be as beautiful as the pictures she
had seen of them.

Then she remembered that only last week she had been studying about the
quaint old city of Nuremberg, and wishing she could go there and see all
its curiosities.

Alice was startled by the dinner-bell, and could not even wait to brush
her hair, she was so anxious to know what her papa had decided.

As Alice went into the dining-room with a very wistful look in her
deep-brown eyes, Mr. Winter said, "Well, dear, we have decided to take
you with us, and as it is now Wednesday, and we sail Saturday from New
York on the 'Etruria,' you will be very busy getting ready, and you must
help your mamma all you can."

Alice threw her arms around Mr. Winter's neck, crying with joy, saying
at the same time, "Oh, you dear, darling papa, how kind and good you
are, and how I do love you!"

After kissing him again and again, she went to her mamma and nearly
smothered her with kisses.

Mr. Winter had never been abroad, though he had large business interests
there, which had been attended to by a clerk in whom he had the utmost
confidence. This clerk had been taken very suddenly and dangerously ill,
Mr. Winter had no one else he could send, and found he must go himself
and at once.

He telegraphed to the Cunard office for state-rooms, and went home
to tell his wife, hardly thinking she would go with him at such short
notice, or leave Alice.

Mrs. Winter was not willing he should go without her, and soon decided
not only to go, but to take Alice with them.

Alice could hardly eat any dinner, she was so happy and full of
excitement.

The next morning Alice went to school to get her books and tell the
wonderful news to her teacher and school-mates.

They were nearly as interested as she, for it was quite an event for any
one to go to Europe from that quiet village.

It was decided then and there that all would be at the station to see
her off on Friday.

When Alice went to her room she found there a new steamer-trunk marked
"A. W." in large letters, and then she was busy indeed getting it packed
and deciding what to take with her.

Mrs. Winter came in while Alice was almost in despair and said, "This
is to be such a hurried trip you will need only a couple of dresses, but
you must take all your warm wraps."

Alice laughed and said, "I do not think I shall need them in the
spring;" but mamma said, "It is always cold at sea, and you will need
your winter clothes."

Friday afternoon our little party started for New York, with the best
wishes of their friends, who came to the station for the very last
"good-byes." Alice even shed a few tears, but they were soon wiped away,
and a happy face looked from the car window, which fortunately was on
the side overlooking the Hudson River.

Alice had never seen that lovely river before, and naturally was
delighted.

When they passed the Catskill Mountains it was so clear she could see
the famous old Mountain House, and, beyond, the immense Kauterskill
Hotel, which seemed almost in the clouds, it looked so high.

West Point was the next object of interest, and Alice did hope she could
go there sometime and see the cadets do some of their drills.

When they were opposite the Palisades, which stood up in their grandeur,
with the softened tints of the setting sun settling upon them, Alice
said, "I know I shall see nothing in Europe any finer than that."

Very soon the tall spires and smoke in the distance showed that they
were drawing near New York, and after leaving the Hudson they followed
the pretty Harlem River, which makes an island of New York City.

Alice was much interested in the bridges, there seemed to be so many
of them, and papa told her that the one then in sight was the new
Washington bridge, just completed. The next was High bridge, which
carries the water over the river into the city. When it was finished it
was said to be the finest engineering in the country.

The next bridge was the continuation of the elevated railroad, and then
came Macomb's Dam bridge, the oldest of them all, and used simply for
driving and walking across, and looked, Alice thought, quite unsafe.

The pretty Madison Avenue bridge was the last they saw as they crossed
their own bridge, and were soon in a tunnel which Alice thought would
never end.

When they came out of the tunnel the train was nearly at the station,
where the noise and bustle were very confusing, and they were glad to
get into a carriage to be driven to the Fifth Avenue Hotel.

As it was quite dark, Alice thought it was like a glimpse of fairyland
when they reached Madison Square, with its electric lights shining on
the trees, and all the bright lights around the hotel.




CHAPTER II.

NEW YORK FOR THE FIRST TIME.


Mr. Winter having telegraphed for rooms, found them ready for him; and
on going down to dinner they were delighted to see the corridors and
dining-room crowded with people, many of them public characters whom he
could point out to Alice, who was so excited she felt the entire evening
as if she were in a dream.

Of all the prominent men there Alice was the most interested in General
Sherman, with his kind, rugged face.

The "Etruria" sailed at noon on Saturday, and Mrs. Winter and Alice
spent the morning buying a few last things, such as a hat and hood and
comfortable steamer-chairs.

At eleven o'clock a Fifth Avenue Hotel stage was at the door, and
several people beside themselves went in it to the steamer. The ladies
had flowers and baskets of fruit, and seemed so bright and happy that
Alice for the first time felt a little lonely and homesick.

On reaching the dock there were so many people going on and coming off
the steamer, and pushing each other, it was almost impossible to cross
the gang-plank and reach their own state-rooms.

Finally they found them, and, instead of nice large rooms, they were so
very small that Alice felt she never could live in them for a week or
ten days, and the berths were so narrow she said, "O papa, you can never
get into one of those in the world."

"Oh, yes, I can," said Mr. Winter, "and perhaps before we reach
Liverpool I shall wish they were narrower yet."'

Mrs. Winter and Alice had one room, and Mr. Winter was across the
passage with another gentleman.

After settling their valises and rugs they went up on deck to see the
people, and also the last of the city itself. Large baskets of fruits
and flowers in every shape were constantly being brought on board, and
much to Alice's delight there was a large bunch of violets from her
school friends at home.

She had been looking at the other people a little enviously, especially
at a girl of her own age who had many friends to see her, and her arms
full of flowers.

Very soon the gong sounded, and Alice, who had never heard one, put her
hands to her ears to shut out the noise. As soon as the man had passed
by Alice said,--

"What is that?"

"That is a gong, dear," said her papa, "and is now being used to notify
the people who are not sailing on the steamer that it is time to go
ashore."

The people who left kissed their friends hurriedly, and went down the
gang-plank as if afraid they might be carried away, after all.

After the people were on the dock and the mailbags had been put on the
steamer, very slowly but surely the great steamer backed out into the
river. Tugs turned her around, and carefully she steamed toward the
ocean, trying to avoid the many boats moving about the river in all
directions.

[Illustration: THE GREAT STEAMER BACKED OUT INTO THE RIVER.--_Page 21._]

Alice was rather frightened, and thought they certainly would run into
some of them.

Many of the passengers were still waving to their friends, who were also
waving to them from the dock as long as they could distinguish it at
all.

Very soon they could see the famous statue of the Goddess of Liberty,
that holds its light so high in the air; then lovely Staten Island, with
its green hills and fine houses.

The two forts, Hamilton and Wordsworth, which guard the entrance to
the harbor, were soon left behind, and on the left could be seen Coney
Island, with its large hotels and elephant and high elevator.

Suddenly, as they were looking at the largest hotel of all, the one at
Rockaway Beach, the steamer stopped. Alice, rather startled, said,--

"Oh, dear! what is the matter?"

"They are going to drop the pilot," said her papa.

"Where?" said Alice. "In the water?"

"Oh, no," said Mr. Winter; "do you see that small boat rowing towards
us?"

"Yes, papa. Will he drop into that? He never can; he will surely fall
into the water."

Mr. Winter smiled and told her to go and watch from the rail, which she
did, and soon saw the pilot go down the side of the steamer by a rope
and drop into the little row-boat, where two men were waiting to row him
to the pretty pilot-boat No. 4, which was quite a distance away.

The steamer started immediately, and in five minutes the row-boat was
only a speck on the water.

"There is another hotel, papa. What is it?" said Alice.

"That is the Long Beach Hotel, and you will not see another until you
reach Liverpool," said her papa.




CHAPTER III.

LIFE ON A STEAMER.


"Come, Alice," said Mrs. Winter, "we will go down to our state-room and
unpack our trunks while we are in smooth water, for to-morrow morning it
may be so rough we cannot get out of our berths at all."

Alice went with her mamma and helped put everything in order, but there
were so few hooks and no bureau she did not know at first where to put
anything.

Mrs. Winter decided to sleep in the lower berth and have Alice on
the sofa, which gave them the top berth for a bureau, and they found
themselves very comfortable.

Alice wanted to put some little things around to look pretty, but her
mamma said, "No, dear, for if the ship rolls they will be all over the
floor."

Alice laughed and said, "I guess the 'Etruria' never rolls enough for
that; she is too big."

"Wait and see," quietly said her mamma.

Mrs. Winter said, "Now we will put on our warm wraps and go on deck."

Mr. Winter had found their chairs and put them in a nice place. Just as
they were being settled in them, the gong was sounded again. "That is
for lunch this time," said Mr. Winter, "and I for one am glad, for I am
very hungry."

On going to the saloon they were delighted to find that their seats
were at the captain's table, and any one who has crossed the ocean with
Captain Hains knows what a treat they had before them, if it should be a
nice passage and he could be in his seat at the head of the table.

In the afternoon the ship rolled, and when dinner was announced Mrs.
Winter thought she would take hers on deck. She was not sick, but was
afraid if she left the air she might be. Mr. Winter and Alice went to
the table, and Alice was surprised to see the vacant seats around the
room. The racks were on the table, so the dishes were held in place, but
Alice found it rather uncomfortable keeping her chair.

In the morning Mrs. Winter was too ill to leave her berth, but Alice
never felt better in her life. The captain was so pleased to have her at
the table to breakfast he put her in her mamma's seat next to him, and
when she told him it was her birthday he said, "You shall have a nice
cake for your dinner."

After breakfast Alice went up on deck with Mr. Winter, who put her in a
comfortable place and covered her up nice and warm. He went down to see
his wife.

The sea was a deep, bright blue, with lovely white caps, and when the
sun shone on them Alice could see a rainbow on every wave.

Alice became tired of sitting in her chair, and went to the rail to
look over the side and see how pretty the water looked as the ship cut
through it. Soon the young girl whom she had seen the day before came up
to her and said, "Have you ever crossed before?"

Alice said, "No, have you?"

"Oh, yes, several times; and I do enjoy every minute, for I am never
sick."

Alice asked her name, and she answered, "Nellie Ford. What is yours and
where are you going?"

Alice told her name and that she was going to Nuremberg.

Nellie said, "I have never been there. We are going to Brussels, and it
is such a beautiful city."

They talked on until the gong sounded, and agreed to meet again after
lunch.

At dinner that night Alice found the cake which the captain had promised
her on the table. After thanking him, she asked if she might send a
piece of it to her new friend.

"Of course, my dear," said the captain. "It is yours to do with just as
you please."

The second day was very much like the first, only Mrs. Winter was able
to be on deck, and Nellie Ford introduced her to Mr. and Mrs. Ford, and
they soon settled to a little party of six, as passengers on a steamer
are very apt to do.

The two girls were together all the time, and joined in a game of ring
toss with some more of the young people.

[Illustration: HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.--_Page 37._]

The days passed away, one very much like another--some pleasant, some
stormy and rough, some foggy, with the whistles being blown every two
minutes. Alice felt that she should be glad when she saw land again.

One night they met a steamer, and it did look very pretty all lighted
up. The "Etruria" set off Roman candles, which were answered by the
steamer, and Alice thought that was the most interesting evening of all,
even more so than the night of the concert.

The "Etruria" made a very quick trip, and reached Queenstown Friday
afternoon. Alice was writing letters in the saloon to send home, when
suddenly the steamer stopped.

"Oh, dear, what is the matter?" she cried, jumping to her feet. A
gentleman sitting near her said, "It is a fog, and as we are very near
Fastnet Rock they do not dare to go on."

Soon a gun was heard in answer to the steamer's whistle, and the
gentleman said, "We must be right there now."

Alice went up on deck rather frightened, but as suddenly as the fog had
settled upon them it lifted, and directly ahead of them was the straight
rock rising out of the water like a sentinel.

The "Etruria" ran up her signal flags and then started on, and in three
hours was off Queenstown Harbor, where the tug was waiting for their
mails and the few passengers who wished to be landed.




CHAPTER IV.

A FIRST GLIMPSE OF ENGLAND.


Queenstown was soon a thing of the past, and when they went to their
rooms the packing was finished, so that the next morning all the time
could be spent upon the deck until they landed.

It was a clear, bright morning, but very cold and windy, when the
steamer was left to take the tug. On leaving the tug, Alice and Nellie
were very careful to each put her left foot first on the dock, as they
had been told it would bring them good luck.

There was not much to interest our party in Liverpool except the docks,
which of course Alice had been told were the finest in the world. After
leaving the Custom House they were driven to the North Western Hotel,
and the ladies and two girls waited in the parlor in front of an
enormous soft-coal fire, while Mr. Ford and Mr. Winter went into the
station, which joins the hotel, and engaged a compartment for London.

Opposite the hotel they could see St. George's Hall, with its two
statues in front, one of Queen Victoria and the other of her husband,
Prince Albert, when they were young.

Suddenly a noise of horses being rapidly driven was heard, and the girls
ran to the window just in time to see the high sheriff's carriage of
state being driven to the hotel to take him away to open court. It was
very elegant, with its satin linings and the four beautiful horses.

The footmen stood up at the back of the carriage, holding themselves on
by leather straps. Four men in uniform stood in the street and blew on
trumpets until the sheriff was out of sight.

The girls thought it very interesting, but Mrs. Winter said, "A
sheriff's position in England must be very different from that in
America, where they usually go about in the quietest manner possible."

Mr. Winter and Mr. Ford came in and told them it was time to get some
lunch. A very nice one they had, and Alice was particularly interested
in the table on wheels, with the joints of meat on it, which was pushed
about to each person to select the cut of meat he liked.

Mr. Ford advised their going to the Hotel Victoria in London, as he had
tried many others and liked that one the best; so they had telegraphed
for rooms before starting on the two o'clock train. All the party were
in good spirits, and glad to be on dry land.

Mrs. Winter and Alice did not like the carriage, as it is called in
England, as well as the drawing-room car at home, but enjoyed every
moment of the journey.

England is like a large garden, every portion being under cultivation;
the fields are so green and full of large, beautiful sheep grazing
everywhere.

"O mamma, how much more lovely the hedges are than our fences and walls
at home!" said Alice.

"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Winter. "I have always heard they were lovely,
but I did not think they would add so much to the beauties of the
landscape."

Harrow, with its school on the hill, was passed, and caused some
interest to the girls. London was reached before they realized it, and
they were driven to the Hotel Victoria in two four-wheeled cabs called
"growlers"--why, they did not know, unless people "growl" at their
lack of comfort in every way; no springs, narrow, high seats, generally
dirty, and a worn-out old horse, whipped the most of the time by a very
poor driver.

Their rooms were ready for them, and glad enough they were to get their
dinner and go to bed to get rested for the following days, to which the
Winters were looking forward with great interest.


[Illustration: NELSON COLUMN.]




CHAPTER V.

A WEEK IN LONDON.


Sunday our party rested, but on Monday morning they started for
Westminster Abbey, hardly looking at anything on the way, though they
went by Trafalgar Square, with the high column erected to Nelson, which
stands there so proudly, with its beautiful lions made by Landseer lying
so quietly at its base.

A pleasant morning was passed at the Abbey, and the Poets' Corner proved
to be their greatest attraction, as it is with most Americans. The chair
in which Queen Victoria sat when she was crowned was shown to them, but
Alice said she thought it was a common-looking chair, and wondered why
the Queen did not have one that was more imposing.

On leaving the Abbey they naturally turned towards the Houses of
Parliament, and wishing to get even a better view, they walked part
way over Westminster bridge, where they also saw St. Thomas's Hospital,
situated on the Surrey side of the Thames.

The walk back to the hotel by way of the Embankment was very pleasant,
with its large buildings one side, and the river with its boats moving
up and down on the other, and the rumble of the underground railroad
beneath their feet. On reaching home they were so tired it was decided
to rest in the afternoon and visit Madame Tussaud's wax-works in the
evening.

After dinner Mr. Ford said, "How would you like to go to the wax-works
by the underground railway? It is not very far, if you think you won't
mind the smoke and confined air. The station is very near, and we shall
be left at the next building to the wax-works. I have been driven there
and it only took about twenty minutes, so I think we can go by train in
ten."

"All right," said Mr. Winter; "it will be a good opportunity to see how
we shall like it."

Off they all started to the Charing Cross station. The girls did not
like going down underground so far, but Alice said to Nellie, "I think I
will not say much about it unless mamma does."

After passing three stations, Mr. Winter said, "This air is stifling, do
you not think we are nearly there?"

"Oh, yes," said Mr. Ford, "I think it must be the next station."

When they reached it, it was not theirs, and Mr. Ford called out to the
guard, "How many more stations before we reach Baker Street?"

The man looked at him rather queerly, and said, "Fourteen. Where did you
get on the train?"

"At Charing Cross," said Mr. Ford.

"Oh," said the guard, "you have taken a train for the outer circle and
come the longer way; some one should have told you."

The train moved on, and our party had nothing to do but sit patiently
and try not to think how close and stifling the air was getting.

When they were once more in the fresh air Mr. Ford said, "Driving in
cabs suits me pretty well, and that is the way I am going home, if I go
alone."

There was not a dissenting voice, and after a very pleasant evening
they had a lovely drive home in three hansom cabs, and it only took them
sixteen minutes.

Tuesday morning was spent in visiting the Bank of England and St. Paul's
Cathedral, where the young people and the gentlemen went upstairs to the
Whispering Gallery.

They all went down to the Crypt, where are many tombs, among them those
of Nelson and Wellington.

The great object of interest to them was the immense funeral car which
was made to carry the body of the Duke of Wellington through the streets
of London to his last resting-place.

The wheels were made from pieces of cannon picked from the field of
Waterloo.

Mr. Ford took them to a quaint, old-fashioned place noted for its soups,
for lunch.

In the afternoon the Tower of London was visited, and of course was of
more interest to the Winters than to the Fords.

To Alice it was very realistic, it was so full of English history.
She could tell her mamma much more than could the man, in his strange
costume, who showed them around.

That night the ladies and the two girls were too tired to go out again,
so Mr. Ford took Mr. Winter and they did a little sight-seeing on their
own account.

Wednesday was given up to visiting the Buckingham Palace stables,
where they saw the Queen's famous ponies that are only used on state
occasions; and the South Kensington Museum, which they found very
interesting.

[Illustration: TOWER OF LONDON.--_Page 40._]

In the evening they went to the theatre, and Alice thought it very
strange to go downstairs to their seats. The audience looked so much
better than in America, as the ladies were in evening dress and the
gentlemen in dress suits.

Thursday was a lovely day, and was spent at Hampton Court. They went on
the outside of a coach, and what a lovely drive it was through Richmond
and Bushy Park, with its wonderful horse-chestnut trees all in bloom!

[Illustration: HAMPTON COURT.]

The coach stopped at a little inn beside the river, where they lunched
before visiting the famous court, once the home of Henry the Eighth,
and presented to him by Cardinal Wolsey. It is now the home of certain
ladies of small income who are alone in the world. They are selected by
the Queen, and of course have only one portion of the palace.

The remainder is occupied as state apartments and a famous
picture-gallery, beside a gun-room only second in interest to that of
the Tower.

Friday was given to Windsor Castle and the Crystal Palace.

Saturday they shopped and visited the Royal Academy, where they saw a
beautiful collection of paintings, and only wished there was more time
to spend looking at them.

Mr. and Mrs. Ford decided to go with the Winters as far as Brussels, and
as they were to start on Monday it was thought best to keep very quiet
on Sunday.

Mrs. Winter said to her husband she wished they could stay longer
in London, where every minute had been a delight; but he said it was
impossible.




CHAPTER VI.

OFF FOR THE CONTINENT.


Monday morning was bright and clear, and Mr. Ford said, "This looks like
a pleasant crossing of the Channel."

The ride in the cars to Dover was very interesting, and the view of
Canterbury Cathedral was quite fine.

Quite a large boat was waiting for the train, and the water looked so
smooth Alice said,--

"I guess the people who are sick crossing this Channel do not know much
of ocean discomfort."

Like a good many travellers who see the Channel for the first time, she
thought it must always be quiet.

It proved to be a very smooth trip, and only a little over an hour was
spent in crossing.

The train left Calais fifteen minutes after the arrival of the boat,
and the gentlemen bought nice luncheons which were put up in
baskets,--chicken, bread and butter, and a bottle of wine.

They found a good compartment, and away they went, eating their lunch
and enjoying the views from the windows at the same time.

Belgium is called the garden of Europe, as vegetables are raised there
for all the principal cities.

The country is flat and rather uninteresting to look at, but when one
realizes that the willows which surround the farms are used by the
women and children to make baskets which are sent all over the world it
becomes very interesting.

The land is divided by water wide enough for flat-bottomed boats to be
rowed about, that the farmers may till their land and bring home the
products in them.

It seemed very strange to see women at work in the fields, but Mr. Ford
said they would get used to that before they reached Nuremberg.

It was dark when the train drew in at the station at Brussels, and they
took a stage marked "Grand Hotel," and were driven through the principal
street of the city. The shops were all lighted, and the streets and
sidewalks full of people.

Outside the restaurants little tables were set on the sidewalks, and men
and women were eating and drinking.

It was a sight the Winters had never seen, and it looked very strange to
them.

"It is just like Paris on a small scale," said Mr. Ford.

Excellent rooms were ready for them at the hotel, as they had been
telegraphed for by Mr. Ford, who was in the habit of going there every
year.

They had a delicious supper, and Mr. Winter said,--

"That is the best meal I have seen since leaving America."

The ladies had found the cars very hard to travel in, and were glad to
go to their rooms.

The next day Mrs. Winter was so thoroughly used up that Mr. Winter
decided to stay in Brussels a few days for her to get rested.

The girls were delighted, as they had become very fond of each other and
were dreading the separation.

[Illustration: BRUSSELS BOURSE.]

Mr. Ford had to go out on business, and Mrs. Ford said she would
entertain Mrs. Winter if Mr. Winter would take the girls sight-seeing.
They started on their walk in high spirits, and found such wide, clean
streets, interesting shops, and large, handsome buildings.

The new Exchange just completed, and the Palace of Justice, are two of
the most magnificent civic buildings in Europe.

They were much interested in a lace manufactory. On the lower floor were
women at work on the finest patterns. They were all ages, from twenty to
seventy, and never looked up while their work was being examined.

When the girls were leaving the room, Alice laughed at some remark of
Nellie's, and then every head was lifted and a sad smile came on each
face for a second.

Mr. Winter bought two lace handkerchiefs for the girls to take as
presents to their mothers.

Through the remainder of their stay in Brussels they had lovely drives
in the beautiful park, visited the Palace of Justice, situated at the
end of a long street, on a hill where there was a glorious view of the
surrounding country for miles.

They also found that the picture gallery had a very fine
collection--indeed, said to be the best in Belgium, and the pictures
were beautifully arranged in schools and periods.

One day was given to the field of Waterloo, which they all enjoyed very
much.

Alice felt so unhappy to be parted from Nellie that Mr. Winter finally
persuaded Mr. and Mrs. Ford to let Nellie go with them to Nuremberg, as
it would give her a delightful trip, and she was equally miserable to be
left in Brussels without Alice.

It was decided to meet in Paris, have an enjoyable week together, and
sail for home on the "Etruria" near the middle of July.




CHAPTER VII.

UP THE RHINE.


On Monday, Mr. and Mrs. Winter and the girls said "good-bye" to Mr. and
Mrs. Ford and started for Cologne in the gayest of spirits.

The trip was found very interesting, as they followed the Meuse River
a great deal of the way. Between Liège and Verviers the country was
wonderfully picturesque, with the pretty winding river, which they
continually crossed, and little villages with the mountains in the
distance.

The Meuse has been called the miniature Rhine.

Verviers is the last Belgian station, and Aix-la-Chapelle is the first
town of much interest in Germany.

From the train there was an excellent view of the city, which has seen
many changes since it was the favorite home of Charlemagne.

[Illustration: COLOGNE CATHEDRAL.]

For more than three centuries the German emperors were crowned there.

It was growing dark as Cologne was reached, but the girls, knowing
the cathedral was near the station, hurried outside to see it, and how
wonderfully high and beautiful the noble great spires looked in the
twilight no one can imagine who has never seen them.

Tuesday morning was spent in visiting the Church of St. Ursula (which
is reputed to hold the bones of eleven thousand virgins martyred by the
Huns) and the cathedral.

An excellent guide showed our party around, and pointed out the
beautiful windows which King Ludwig presented, costing eighteen thousand
pounds, English money.

The late King Frederick gave one elegant window, at the end opposite the
entrance.

On one side of the building were windows made by Albert Dürer,
considered Germany's greatest artist.

A large gold cross, presented by Marie de Medici, and costing an
enormous sum of money, Alice thought was more beautiful than the
windows.

On the way back to the hotel they met a company of soldiers who were
singing as they marched along. It seemed very inspiring.

Wednesday morning this happy party took the train for Mayence up the
Rhine, as the boats, they found, were not yet running.

Alice and Nellie had been reading up the legends of the Rhine, and could
hardly wait to see its beauties and wonders.

The Rhine was not reached until after leaving Bonn. The scenery was so
pretty they did not miss the river views.

In full view of the train was the famous avenue of horse-chestnuts,
three-quarters of a mile in length. There is a large university at
Bonn, and many other schools. As many of the students in their different
costumes came to the station and walked up and down the platform to show
themselves, the girls were very much amused.

The city is also noted as being the birthplace of Beethoven.

As soon as Bonn was out of sight, the river was beside them. At first
the entire party were disappointed, the river seemed so quiet, narrow,
and sluggish, compared to the rivers at home.

However, that was soon forgotten as its beauties grew upon them.

They soon saw the Seven Mountains coming into view, and wished they
could stay over one night to see the sun rise from the top.

Mr. Winter felt he must hurry on, as they had spent so much time in
Brussels, and see all they could from the train.

At Oberwinter, where there is the finest view down the Rhine, all the
party looked back to see it.

Coblence was the next large town, and the situation is beautiful, as
it is at the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle, with the strong
fortifications opposite, the Castle of Ehrenbreitstein, often called the
Gibraltar of the Rhine.

Just after leaving Coblence they saw two castles, one the royal castle
of Stolzenfels on its "proud rock," more than four hundred feet above
the river. It was destroyed by the French in the seventeenth century,
but is now completely restored.

The other castle is directly opposite, above the mouth of the Lahn
river, is called the Castle of Lahneck, and has been lately restored.
Alice knew the legend of this castle, and told it to the rest of the
party.

"It was here, in the beginning of the fourteenth century, that the
order of Knights Templars, which had been founded for religious purposes
chiefly, was severely persecuted by Philippe le Beau of France and Pope
Clement V.

[Illustration: LAHNECK CASTLE.--_Page 54._]

"After many vicissitudes there was a long and desperate siege, in which
all the knights fell except one man. He held the commander at bay,
who was so overpowered by the knight's bravery he offered him life and
liberty if he would stop fighting and beg for mercy.

"The templar's only answer was to throw his spear among the soldiers,
and then was killed by throwing himself on their lances."

Boppart was the next town of any interest, it being a walled town of
Roman origin.

The wall had crumbled away in many places, and houses had been built on
the ruins.

On the opposite side of the river was Bornhoffen, with its twin castles
of Sternberg and Liebenstein, or "The Brothers."

Mr. Winter told this legend, which runs that once a rich knight, with
his two sons and one daughter, lived there, and were very rich in gold
and lands, which the old knight had gained through wrong and robbery.
All his neighbors felt sure that such ill-gotten wealth would bring him
anything but blessings.

The brothers inherited the avarice of the father; but the sister was
lovely and gentle, like her mother. When the father died the brothers
gave their sister much less than a third of the property. She gave hers
to the cause of religion and went into a convent.

The brothers, disappointed, disputed over their share, and at last fell
in love with the same maiden, who did not hesitate to flirt with both
and increase their jealousy. They finally fought and killed each other.

Just as Mr. Winter finished his story, the guard of the train put his
head into the car window, to say that the Lorely rock was nearly in
sight.




CHAPTER VIII.

THE LEGEND OF THE LORELY.


Both girls jumped to their feet, for of course they were interested to
see that famous rock where the water-nymph Lore was said to have lived.
She would appear on the top of the rock, clothed in wonderful garments,
and a veil of the color of the sea-green water reaching to her feet, to
lure wicked people to destruction by her singing.

The people who came to the foot of the rock were swallowed in the waves,
while those who tried to climb to the top were either thrown back into
the water or led through the dense woods, only to be days finding their
way out of them.

Lore was very kind to good people, having the fairy power of
distinguishing good from evil.

At last a young count, much to his father's unhappiness, saw and fell
in love with her. He constantly went to gaze upon her, for she was very
beautiful.

He used to carry his zither and play and sing to her, until she finally
caused the waves to rise so high that his boat was upset and broken. The
count sank into the waves, and his attendants returned home to tell the
father the sad news.

The old count swore revenge, and was going to seize Lore and have her
burnt. The next night he took some friends and surrounded the rock.

When Lore appeared the old count said, "Where is my son?"

Lore pointed to the waves, at the same time continuing to sing very
sweetly.

As soon as Lore had finished her song, she threw a stone into the river,
which caused a wave to rise. She mounted it and sank from view with
it, never to be seen again, though her singing was often heard by men
passing by.

The rock was formerly called Lorely, but is now Lurlei, and has a lovely
echo said to be the gift of Lore.

The girls were disappointed to see the water around the rock so very
quiet--no whirlpool at all.

When they saw that a cut had been made through the rock for railroad
trains, all the romance was gone for them.

Alice said, "O papa, how could anybody spoil that pretty story by
running trains through the rock? If that is the way my romances are
going to end I will not read any more."

However, she soon saw a house built in the river, and wanted to know
what it was and why it was there.

"I know," said Nellie. "I was reading about it the other day."

It is called the Pfalz, and was built by Louis of Bavaria in the
thirteenth century, in order to exact tribute from passing vessels.

Opposite is the town of Bacharach, the Ara Bacchi of the Romans, and has
long been famous for its wines. In Longfellow's "Golden Legend" is the
old rhyme,--

  "At Bacharach on the Rhine,
  At Hochheim on the Main,
  And at Würzburg on the Stein,
  Grow the three best kinds of wine."

The Bacchus-Altar is to be found in this lovely country. It stands just
below the town, but the water has to be very low to read the inscription
(which is nearly illegible), as it is situated between the bank of the
river and an islet.

The Altar is supposed to have been erected by the Romans to their god of
wine.

Many other castles, some restored, but the most of them in ruins, were
passed, before Assmanshausen, famous for its red wines, was reached.

Mr. Winter said, "Now this ends what is called 'the great gorge of
the Rhine,' and the river will broaden, and the open country, not very
interesting, is before you."

Just before reaching Bingen they saw the ruins of Ehrenfels, and in the
middle of the river the Mausthurm, or "Mouse Tower."

"O papa, I know the story of that tower," said Alice. "Can I tell it?"

"We are only too glad to hear it," said her mamma.

"Hatto was Bishop of Fulda, and wishing to be made Archbishop of
Mayence, used every means in his power to accomplish his purpose. He
succeeded, and became very ambitious, proud, and cruel. He taxed the
poor to build for himself fine dwellings.

[Illustration: MOUSE TOWER.--_Page 61._]

"At last he built the tower in the river where it was very narrow, to
compel all ships to pay him toll.

"A famine set in, and he, having plenty of money, bought up everything
and filled his granaries. He sold his stores at such high prices that
only the rich could buy.

"He paid no heed to the supplications of the famishing people, as he
intended building a superb palace with his money.

"One day when Hatto was entertaining friends at dinner, the starving
people forced their way into the dining-hall and begged for food. He
told them to go to a large barn where corn should be given them. When
they were all inside, Hatto ordered the doors to be closed and fastened
on the outside and the barn to be set on fire.

"When their shrieks reached the dining-hall, Hatto turned to his guests
and said, 'Hear how the corn-mice squeal: I do the same to rebels as I
do to them.'

"The wrath of Heaven was turned against him, for out of the ashes at the
barn thousands of mice took their way to the palace, filling the rooms
and attacking Hatto. Thousands were killed, but they steadily increased,
and he was finally obliged to flee in terror of his life to a boat,
still pursued by legions.

"Hatto was ferried over the Rhine to the tower, but the mice perforated
the walls, and fell on him by the thousands, and ate him up. They then
disappeared, and the tower has been called the 'Mouse Tower' ever since.

"It has never been used in any way, but stands as a warning to despotic
people."

Mr. Winter said, "Alice, you told that very well; but he was not such a
very wicked man as the legend makes him. He was imperious and caused his
people much suffering, but was the Emperor's confidant and was called
the Heart of the King."

Bingen is not a very interesting town, but has many walks and drives
that are full of interest in every way.

Directly opposite, on the heights of Niederwald, is the beautiful
monument built to commemorate the restitution of the German Empire in
1870-1871.

Alice and Nellie did wish they could stop long enough to go up and see
it, it looked so grand and mighty outlined against the sky. Mr. Winter
said, "No, we must get to Mayence to-night."

There was not much of interest after leaving Bingen, as the train left
the river and the Rhine was not seen again until just before entering
Mayence, where the Main flows most peacefully into it, making a very
beautiful picture.




CHAPTER IX.

MAYENCE TO NUREMBERG.


Mr. Winter as usual had telegraphed to Mayence for rooms, and found very
comfortable, large rooms ready for them in a new, pleasant hotel near
the station.

After resting a little while Mr. Winter said, "Who wants to go with me
and take a drive around the city?"

The entire party, even Mrs. Winter, who had thought she was too tired to
go out again, said they would like to go.

What a delightful drive they had, at the close of a warm, lovely day,
around that interesting old city, with its wonderful fortifications! The
view of the rivers at the base of the hill they thought as pretty as any
they had seen all day.

Mr. Winter told them what a very old city it was, a Roman camp having
been laid there thirty-eight years before Christ.

[Illustration: MAYENCE--GENERAL VIEW.--_Page 65._]

The foundations may be said to date from fourteen years B.C., when
Drusus built his extensive fortifications. There is a Roman monument
forty-five feet high erected in honor of Drusus. There are also remains
of a Roman aqueduct to be found outside the city.

The cathedral was founded in 798. It has been burnt and restored six
times, and is one of the grandest in Germany.

Just outside the cathedral they saw a fine statue of Gutenberg, who is
regarded by the Germans as the inventor of movable types for printing.

Our party drove back to the hotel, had a nice supper, which was waiting
for them, and went to bed feeling they had enjoyed that day more than
any since leaving home.

The next morning all were rested and eager to get to Nuremberg, the end
of the trip. Mr. Winter, by some mistake, did not get the fast train,
and as the one they took stopped very often, and the scenery was not
very interesting, our party arrived in Nuremberg so tired they ate their
supper and went directly to bed.




CHAPTER X.

NUREMBERG.


In the morning Mr. Winter said, "I will give one day to you for
sight-seeing, and then I must attend to business. You will have to spend
the rest of your time going around with a guide or by yourselves."

Alice was delighted with the old moat which was opposite her window, and
wanted to look in it at once.

Nellie felt the castle was of more importance, and could hardly wait
to get there. The moat surrounds the old city, and now is rented to
gardeners, who live in the old towers and cultivate the land in the
moat.

Our party started out to walk until they were tired, and kept on the
sidewalk side of the moat, and thought it did look so pretty with
everything so fresh and green. The cherry-trees were all white with
their lovely blossoms, which grew even with the sidewalk.

[Illustration: NUREMBERG WALLS.]

Finally they went through an old gateway, which was said to be the one
where a rope was kept in the olden time, to use on the bakers. If they
did not give full weight, the bakers were tied to the end of a pole and
dipped into the water several times. If poison was found in the bread,
they were immediately drowned.

As the ladies were getting tired, Mr. Winter called a carriage to drive
them to the castle. As he could speak German, the driver told him many
interesting things, and pointed out various objects of interest. He
showed them one house that had been occupied by the same family for four
hundred and fifty years.

The churches of St. Sebald and St. Lawrence they admired very much on
the outside, leaving the beauties of the interiors for another day. They
passed one fountain called the Goose Man, and another, the Beautiful
Fountain, built in 1385. Also, a fine statue of Hans Sachs, erected in
1874, who was known through Germany as the cobbler-poet. It was from his
life Wagner wrote the opera of the "Meistersinger."

Soon the driver drew up his horses at a corner where a small house
stood under a hill, called the Sausage Shop, for its wonderfully cooked
sausages. It has been made famous by such men as Albert Dürer, the great
artist, Hans Sachs, and the old burgomasters meeting there for their
nightly mugs of beer and a sausage.

[Illustration: ALBRECHT DÜRER'S HOUSE.--_Page 74._]

The statue of Albert Dürer, erected in 1840, is between the Sausage Shop
and his old home. All the houses, with their deep, slanting roofs, were
objects of interest, but most of all was that of Albert Dürer, which is
the only house in Nuremberg that has not undergone some alteration.

The house is now filled with many curiosities, some of them having
belonged to Albert Dürer, and is open every day to visitors. The girls
wanted to stop and go in at once, but Mr. Winter said, "No, we cannot
stop now; we must get to the castle, and leave the house until we have
more time."

The castle stands very high, and they were obliged to drive up through
very narrow and steep streets; but the horses were used to it, and Mrs.
Winter finally overcame her nervousness.

When the top of the hill was reached, there was a plateau where a
beautiful view of the city was to be seen. They left the carriage here,
and after looking at the scenery they walked on up to the castle.

[Illustration: NUREMBERG CASTLE.]

On the way they saw a small shed, and, on looking in, found it held the
famous well. A young girl was there, who, in a parrot sort of way, told
them that the well was built in the eleventh century, under Conrad II.,
by convicts, and that it took thirty years to finish it. She told Mrs.
Winter to hold a mirror in her hand while she lowered a candle, to show
by the reflection in the mirror the depth of the well. It took just six
seconds for water which she poured out of a glass to reach the water
in the well. She told them it was four hundred and fifty feet deep, and
they all believed her.

In the courtyard of the castle they saw an old linden tree growing,
which is said to have been planted by Empress Kunigunde eight hundred
years ago.

The castle they found quite interesting without being very elegant. A
lady in charge of it told them many things of interest about the castle
and the city.

She told them that the first records of Nuremberg date from 1050. In
1105 the town was besieged, conquered, and destroyed by Henry V., again
besieged in 1127 by Emperor Lothar, from which time imperial officials
appeared who took the title of Burggrafer.

Frederick I. (Barbarossa), under whom the burg was enlarged, frequently
lived here from 1156 to 1188. Rudolph von Hapsburg held his first diet
here in 1274, and often visited the town.

Under Emperor Karl IV. the first stone bridge was built, and the streets
were paved.

The first fundamental law of the empire was formed by him, and is known
as the "Golden Bull." It was framed in Nuremberg in 1356, and is still
kept in Frankfort.

According to this law, every German emperor was obliged to spend his
first day of government in Nuremberg.

His government was very favorable to Nuremberg in every way.

The four large towers were built 1555 to 1568, after a plan designed by
Albert Dürer. The town reached its highest artistic development in
the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, under such men as Albert Dürer,
A. Krafft, Herman Fischer, and many others.

Goblets and many such objects of art were made here at that time. In
1649 Nuremberg displayed its last splendor. Commerce had been ruined by
different wars. In 1806 it was made a matter of rejoicing when it came
under the crown of Bavaria. King Ludwig first revived art, and trade
made a start.

In 1835 the first railroad was opened to Fürth. In 1855 King Max II.
with his family lived here, and the Imperial Burg was offered to him as
a present by the town.

The lady also told them that the five-cornered tower, which is the
oldest building in Nuremberg and connected with the castle, contained a
collection of instruments of torture. Among them is the iron virgin, a
figure of a woman, which opens and is full of spikes. The poor victim
would be shut up in its clutches.

None of our party felt like visiting that horrible place, so they
thanked the woman, and took some last looks at the beautiful views to
be seen from the windows. To their surprise they found it was noon-time,
and as everything in Nuremberg is closed for an hour and a half
at mid-day, they were driven back to the Wurtemberger Hof, their
comfortable hotel, where everything possible was done for their
pleasure.

After a good dinner and a rest, Mr. Winter said he thought, as his time
was so limited, he would like to visit the Town Hall and St. John's
Cemetery. A guide was found, and they started out with more enthusiasm
than ever.

The guide told them that the Town Hall was built in the years from 1616
to 1619, in Italian style. He pointed out to them a fine picture by
Paul Ritter, painted in 1882, to represent the act of the arrival of
the German Emperor's Insignia in Nuremberg. The guide also showed them
several pictures of Dürer's representing the triumphal procession of
Emperor Maximilian. His pictures are, many of them, very indistinct.

They were taken into a room where the wedding couples go to sign their
marriage contracts.

Mr. Winter was more interested than the girls, and Mrs. Winter was so
tired they were glad enough to get in the carriage and be driven to the
famous old cemetery.

For some blocks before reaching the entrance are paintings of Christ,
representing the last days of his life.

At the gateway are the three statues of Christ and the two thieves
nailed to the cross.

The guide showed them the graves of Dürer and Sachs, and one of a man
who had been killed, while asleep, by his wife hammering a nail in
his head. There was a bronze skull, with the nail in it just where she
killed him.

Another interesting bronze was the figure of a woman with a lizard on a
perch, which, when touched, turns towards the woman's figure and shows
where she was bitten in the neck by the lizard that killed her.

The girls thought that very quaint and more interesting than any they
saw, though there were many very beautifully carved, and, being of
bronze, were of great value.

While our party was wandering through the cemetery a funeral was taking
place, and as the entire service was intoned, it was very impressive.

Mr. Winter said as they entered the carriage, "You have had enough
sight-seeing for to-day, and we will drive home and talk over all the
wonderful and interesting things we have seen and heard to-day."


[Illustration: NUREMBERG.]




CHAPTER XI.

NUREMBERG.--_Continued._


The following morning Mr. Winter left the ladies, who walked aimlessly,
not caring much where they went, it was all so full of interest to them.

Accidentally they visited quite an interesting place called the Preller
House. It was built three hundred years ago by a Venetian nobleman, and
is now used as a furniture warehouse. There is a chapel in it, and some
of the old furniture still remains.

The ceilings are very fine, and in two of the rooms were only discovered
when the present occupants were having gas-pipes put in the house.

Mr. Winter did not come home to dinner, and in the afternoon Mrs. Winter
and the girls went to the Museum, where they found more to interest
them than anywhere they had been. It had a very large and interesting
collection of paintings and antiquities, but the girls enjoyed seeing
the old cloister--the first they had ever seen.

That evening when Mr. Winter came home, he told his wife that he
should only be obliged to remain one more day, and they must entertain
themselves again without him.

The next morning Mrs. Winter took a guide with them, as she wished to
visit some of the shops where they could collect some curiosities.

They also went to the Market square, where the poor people can buy
everything they need at very reasonable prices.

Mrs. Winter then said, "Now, girls, we will visit those churches of
which we have only seen the outside."

The guide took them first to St. Lawrence's Church.

This church, he told them, was mentioned as early as 1006, and had
the handsomest artistic decoration of any of the celebrated churches
throughout Germany. The finest portion is the choir, with a vaulted roof
supported by slender pillars from which the arches are formed like palm
branches.

The guide wished them particularly to look at the Gothic bronze
chandelier, which weighs four hundred and eighty-two pounds, and was
cast by Peter Vischer in 1489.

The girls were charmed by the seven windows of the choir, which are
considered the best examples of Nuremberg glass-painting from 1450
to 1490. The last window, called the Emperor's, was presented by the
citizens of Nuremberg in memory of the restitution of the German Empire.
It was put in the 22d of March, 1881. Mrs. Winter was much interested in
some beautiful tapestries representing the lives of St. Lawrence and St.
Catharine, and are over four hundred years old.

There were many more paintings of much interest, some of them Albert
Dürer's. As they were leaving, the girls saw some richly carved chairs
by the doors, and asked the guide why they were there.

He told them that they formerly belonged to the guilds, and the masters
sat in them, in turn, to receive alms.

From this church our party was driven to St. Sebaldus's, which was
finished in the tenth century. One of the most interesting things they
saw was the font, which was remarkable not only as the first product
of Nuremberg's foundries, but as having been used to christen King
Wenceslas of Bohemia, in 1361.

There were more paintings of Dürer's to be seen here, but the finest
work was the sepulchre of St. Sebaldus in the centre of the choir. It
is the most extensive work German art has ever produced, and was cast by
Peter Vischer and his five sons.

"It was commenced in 1508 and completed in 1519. It rests on twelve
snails, having four dolphins at its corners, the whole forming a pagan
temple adorned with the Twelve Apostles. It is surmounted by twelve
smaller figures, and finally by an infant Christ holding a globus in
his hand, the latter being a key of the whole monument, when it is to
be rent asunder. There is also a fine portrait of Peter Vischer in this
church."

Of course there were many more objects of interest to be seen, but Mrs.
Winter thought they had seen enough; so they were driven home to dinner.

In the afternoon they took a drive out of the city to a beer-garden
situated at the side of a pretty lake. They had some tea, and walked on
the borders of the lake quite a distance. Mrs. Winter said, "I wish
we had such a quiet, pretty place near home where we could spend an
afternoon as delightfully as we have here."

That evening Nellie said, "Dear Mrs. Winter, how can I ever thank you
and your husband for this trip? Mamma could not have come, and never
shall I forget what I have enjoyed through your kindness."

Mrs. Winter told her that the pleasure she had given them was more than
hers, as it had added so much to Alice's happiness.

Alice said, "Now, mamma, will you not add to our pleasures by repeating
Longfellow's beautiful poem on Nuremberg before we go to bed?"

"Dear Mrs. Winter, please do," said Nellie. "I have never heard of it,
but I know it must be very lovely."

"Very well," said Mrs. Winter. "I certainly never knew a more
appropriate time to recite it than now."

The girls gathered around her in the twilight as she sweetly
commenced:--

  In the valley of the Pegnitz, where across broad meadow-lands
  Rise the blue Franconian mountains, Nuremberg, the ancient, stands.

  Quaint old town of toil and traffic, quaint old town of art and song,
  Memories haunt thy pointed gables, like the rooks that round them
          throng:

  Memories of the Middle Ages, when the emperors, rough and bold,
  Had their dwelling in the castle, time defying, centuries old;

  And thy brave and thrifty burghers boasted, in their uncouth rhyme,
  That their great imperial city stretched its hand through every clime.

  In the courtyard of the castle, bound with many an iron band,
  Stands the mighty linden planted by Queen Cunigunde's hand;

  On the square the oriel window, where in old heroic days
  Sat the poet Melchior singing Kaiser Maximilian's praise.

  Everywhere I see around me rise the wondrous world of Art--
  Fountains wrought with richest sculpture standing in the common mart;

  And above cathedral doorways saints and bishops carved in stone,
  By a former age commissioned as apostles to our own.

  In the church of sainted Sebald sleeps enshrined his holy dust,
  And in bronze the Twelve Apostles guard from age to age their trust;

  In the church of sainted Lawrence stands a pix of sculpture rare,
  Like the foamy sheaf of fountains, rising through the painted air.

  Here, when Art was still religion, with a simple, reverent heart,
  Lived and labored Albrecht Dürer, the Evangelist of Art;

  Hence in silence and in sorrow, toiling still with busy hand,
  Like an emigrant he wandered, seeking for the Better Land;

  _Emigravit_ is the inscription on the tombstone where he lies;
  Dead he is not, but departed,--for the artist never dies.

  Fairer seems the ancient city, and the sunshine seems more fair,
  That he once has trod its pavement, that he once has breathed its air.

  Through these streets, so broad and stately, these obscure and
          dismal lanes,
  Walked of yore the Mastersingers, chanting rude poetic strains.

  From remote and sunless suburbs came they to the friendly guild,
  Building nests in Fame's great temple, as in spouts the swallows
          build.

  As the weaver plied the shuttle, wove he too the mystic rhyme,
  And the smith his iron measures hammered to the anvil's chime;

  Thanking God, whose boundless wisdom makes the flowers of poesy bloom
  In the forge's dust and cinders, in the tissues of the loom.

  Here Hans Sachs, the cobbler-poet, laureate of the gentle craft,
  Wisest of the Twelve Wise Masters, in huge folios sang and laughed;

  But his house is now an ale-house, with a nicely sanded floor,
  And a garland in the window, and his face above the door;

  Painted by some humble artist, as in Adam Puschman's song,
  As the old man, gray and dove-like, with his great beard white and
          long,

  And at night the swart mechanic comes to drown his cash and care,
  Quaffing ale from pewter tankards, in the master's antique chair.

  Vanished is the ancient splendor, and before my dreamy eye
  Wave these mingling shapes and figures, like a faded tapestry.

  Not thy councils, not thy Kaisers, win for thee the world's regard;
  But thy painter, Albrecht Dürer, and Hans Sachs thy cobbler-bard.

  Thus, O Nuremberg, a wanderer from a region far away,
  As he paced thy streets and courtyards, sang in thought his careless
          lay;

  Gathering from the pavement's crevice, as a floweret of the soil,
  The nobility of labor--the long pedigree of toil.

"How very beautiful!" said Nellie. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Winter, for
reciting it to us. I shall learn it myself when I get home, trusting I
may sometime give as much pleasure to another as you have given me."

Mr. Winter said, "Why, Agnes, I never heard you recite that poem so
well."

"I never did," said his wife; "for I never truly felt it before."

"Thank you, mamma dear," said Alice. "Now we will go to bed, feeling
all the happier for the lovely poem which has put our best thoughts into
words."


[Illustration: STRASBOURG CATHEDRAL--SIDE VIEW.]




CHAPTER XII.

STRASBOURG.


Mrs. Winter was very anxious to travel to Paris by the way of
Strasbourg, as she had always wished to see the cathedral with its
wonderful clock.

Mr. Winter made inquiries and found that was decidedly the best way to
go, which was a great delight to them all.

Our party left Nuremberg early in the morning, sorry to see the last of
the most interesting city they had seen thus far on their trip. Nellie,
who was looking forward to meeting her father and mother in Paris, was
quite happy to make a move in that direction.

The first part of the trip was not very interesting, but the latter was
delightful, and as they had a compartment to themselves the girls could
enjoy the view from both sides of the train. A change of cars was made
at a place where there was hardly anything but the station and the
railroad interests. Here they ate a cold lunch from the counter, though
there were some hot dishes on a table; but they did not look very
tempting.

The spire of the Strasbourg Cathedral could be seen some time before
reaching the station, and well it might, being four hundred and
sixty-six feet high, and by some authorities said to be the highest in
the world.

The fortifications had been so fine at Mayence our party was surprised
to find others much finer here, many of them being new, having been
built at the time of the French and German war in 1870.

The engineering of some of them is particularly fine, as they are made
to be opened, so that all the surrounding country can be flooded if
necessary.

The train wound round the city, giving them a fine view of the
fortifications and the soldiers being drilled in many of the enclosures.

Strasbourg was one of the most important cities during the last war, and
a great portion of it was destroyed. One side of the cathedral was badly
damaged, but is now thoroughly restored.

Mr. Winter took his family to a small hotel on the square near the
station, having been recommended there by the manager of the hotel at
Nuremberg. He found it very comfortable, and every possible attention
was shown them.

Arriving about five o'clock, there was plenty of time to be driven
around the city. Of course they started for the cathedral, but on the
way the driver stopped the carriage to point out one of the highest
chimneys on one of the tallest houses, where the storks had built a
nest.

He also told them how the storks arrive every spring and build their
nests, and then leave in the fall with their young, to return the next
spring with their families no larger nor smaller than when they go
away. What becomes of the surplus is a great question--whether they only
increase sufficiently to fill the vacancies caused by death or old age,
or that the young ones found colonies in other countries.

The storks are held in great reverence by mankind, and are never harmed.
Indeed, it is considered good fortune to the inmates of a house when a
nest is built on one of its chimneys.

The driver told a story of one man who gave up the use of his room an
entire winter, rather than destroy a nest which two storks had built
over the top of his chimney, and thus prevented his building a fire.

As they approached the cathedral Alice said, "Why, papa, where is the
clock? I cannot see it at all."

[Illustration: STRASBOURG STORKS.--_Page 94._]

"I do not know," said Mr. Winter; "but it certainly is there somewhere."

The driver took them to the front of the building, where they were met
by a guide, who showed them the beauties of the outside architecture
and the many statues of the apostles and saints. He told them that the
cathedral was commenced in 1015 and finished in 1601.

The guide showed them the plateau half-way up the height of the steeple,
and told them that it is used by men who watch for fires all the time.
The citizens are so proud of the cathedral that they have it dusted and
washed inside very frequently.

"Where is the clock?" said Mrs. Winter, as soon as the guide stopped
talking long enough for her to speak a word.

The man did not answer, but took them around to a side door, where,
after receiving his tip, he left them and walked away.

At first they did not know what to do, but Mrs. Winter said, "I think we
had better go inside if we can."

In they went, and right by the door was the clock. A fine-looking man
dressed elegantly met them. He proved to be a finely educated Swiss, and
he explained the various wonders of the clock.

[Illustration: STRASBOURG--CATHEDRAL CLOCK.--_Page 96._]

He told them that the clock was built three hundred years ago, and was
to run a certain number of years. It shows all fête days for all those
years, tells the changes of the moon, eclipses--in fact, everything that
one could imagine.

The apostles do not all come out and walk around except at noon, but as
it was quarter before six our party saw three men move.

The clock stops at six at night and then commences again at six in the
morning.

Mrs. Winter said the longer she looked at it, the more wonderful it
seemed to her that any man could think of so many things.

The guide also told them that the man who first conceived the idea of
the clock became totally blind when it was nearly completed. Of course
he could work no more, and it was never thought the clock would be
finished.

He lived thirty years, and after his death another man was found
who thought he could complete it. He succeeded, and was paid by the
government for his time and work.

Mrs. Winter said, "I think it is the most wonderful thing I ever saw,
and I do not know which man I admire the most--the one who conceived
such a work, or the man who could carry out such marvellous thoughts of
a man whom he had never met."

After leaving the cathedral our party was driven around the city. The
old part they found very quaint and picturesque, with its high and
sloping roofs. The new part, built by the Germans, was very handsome,
some of the buildings, like the palace, conservatory of music, and the
post-office, being particularly fine.

The driver told them that one of the great interests there was the
making of _pâté de foie gras_. It is made from the livers of geese
which are fed in such a way that the liver grows abnormally large, often
weighing three pounds.

He also told them that many of the French people are still very bitter
against the Germans, even pulling down their shades to the windows if a
regiment should march by the house.

On their return to the hotel, the manager told Mr. Winter he would have
a very quick and comfortable journey to Paris if he took the Orient
express which runs between Constantinople and Paris. It would leave
Strasbourg three hours later than the ordinary train, and would arrive
in Paris some hours before it.

Mr. Winter engaged a compartment at once, and the next day had a very
enjoyable trip, though it was a very long one. The first part of the
route, over mountains and through ravines, was very delightful; but
after getting into France it was flat and uninteresting.

They passed through Epérgny, which was interesting for its vines, which
covered the fields for many miles. From these grapes champagne is made.

Paris was reached at six o'clock, and their hotel, which had been
recommended by friends, was found to be very homelike.

The Fords were there waiting for them, and were as glad to see Nellie as
she was glad to be with them again.




CHAPTER XIII.

HOMEWARD BOUND.


That evening after Nellie had told her mamma some of her pleasant
experiences, Mr. Winter said, "Now we have just five days to spend in
Paris, and you must decide what you would most like to do. Mr. Ford and
I are entirely at your disposal."

Guidebooks were brought out and studied, and after many discussions
their plans were settled for each day.

On Thursday morning they went to the Louvre, feeling there would be so
many pictures to see they had better visit it first.

How tired they did get sliding around on those slippery floors,
trying to see the nine miles of pictures, many of which were quite
uninteresting to them all.

In the afternoon Mr. Winter took his wife and the girls in a carriage,
and started for the Bois de Boulogne. When the Place de la Concorde
was reached, with its monolithic obelisk of Luxor, and fountains and
statues, with the gardens of the Tuileries one side, and the Champs
Élysées on the other, the girls both exclaimed, "How beautiful!" but
Nellie added, "When I think of all the horrors that have taken place
here it loses some of its loveliness to me."

[Illustration: PLACE DE LA CONCORDE.]

The drive through the Champs Élysées they thought very beautiful, and
when they reached the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, the most beautiful in
the world, their admiration knew no bounds.

Mr. Winter said, "Alice, what do you know about this?"

Alice answered that "It was commenced by Napoleon I. in 1806 and
finished by Louis Philippe, and cost over two millions of dollars. It is
about one hundred and fifty feet high, and the same in breadth, and the
central arch is ninety feet high."

"Very good, my dear; you know that lesson very well," said her papa.

From there to the Bois everything was full of interest to them, and the
drive around the Cascade Alice thought particularly lovely.

Nellie said, "It is not kept up as nicely as I like to see a park. They
had better make Central Park a visit, and see its nicely cut lawns and
trimmed bushes."

On their way home they were driven through the Place Vendôme, with its
magnificent column in the centre.

Nellie said, "I can tell you a little about that, Mr. Winter, if you
would like me to."

"Of course I should," said Mr. Winter.

"It is one hundred and forty feet high, and was also built by
Napoleon I. It was pulled down by the Communists in 1871, but has since
been restored."

The girls felt quite at home historically in Paris, as all these
interesting things were very fresh in their minds.

In the evening, being very near the Palais Royale, which was built for
Cardinal Richelieu, they thought it would be a pleasant way to pass
their evening to go and walk around and gaze into the shop windows. The
ladies were too tired, so the gentlemen took the girls, and they had a
delightful time. Alice told her mamma on her return that she enjoyed it,
but did not care to go again; she had seen so much jewelry, all alike,
that it was actually tiresome.

Friday morning they drove to the Palais du Luxembourg, which has been
prison, palace, senate-house, and is now noted for its sculptures and
paintings.

Our party enjoyed it much more than the Louvre, as the paintings were so
many of them modern and very familiar to them.

At the back of the garden they saw the statue of Marshal Ney, on the
very spot where he was shot.

Being on that side of the river, they visited the Church of the Hôtel
des Invalides to see the tomb of Napoleon I. It was directly under the
dome, and the softened lights all around made it very beautiful.

After being driven home and having lunch, they walked to the Madeleine,
the most magnificent of modern churches.

Mrs. Winter said, "This is very beautiful, but I do like the solemnity
of some of the older churches I have seen very much better."

Leaving there, they walked through some of those wide and interesting
boulevards, watching the people and carriages and gazing into the
fascinating shop-windows.

Mr. Ford said, "I thought I had seen in New York some florists' windows
that could not be improved, but I find I was mistaken. Never have I seen
such windows as these."

When too tired to walk any farther, carriages were called, and they were
driven to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, built on an island in the Seine;
from there to the Panthéon, which Alice said "looked like a barn, and
was cold and inhospitable."

The most interesting thing about it was, that such celebrated men as
Victor Hugo, Marat, Voltaire, Mirabeau, and Rousseau had been buried
there. The Hôtel de Ville, recently restored, they passed on their way
home.

The evening was given to the Hippodrome, which is quite the thing to do
in Paris, and is wonderfully fine.

The drive there was like a picture of fairyland, with the bright lights
and trees and glimpses of the river.

Saturday was devoted to shopping, a great deal of it being done at the
Magasin de Louvre and the Bon Marché. The buildings are immense, and
there is everything to be found in them that one could possibly desire.

That evening it was decided to go to the opera at the Grand Opera House,
the most beautiful one in the world. The girls were so excited they
could not eat any dinner, for it was their first appearance.

Faust was the opera given, and a wonderful ballet followed it. Between
the opera and ballet they all went outside and looked down at the men on
horseback, stationed like sentinels outside the building.

Before them was the whole length of the Rue de l'Opera a blaze of light.
Alice said, "Nothing yet has been as delightful as this evening."

Sunday was bright and clear, much to the delight of our sight-seers, as
they were going to Versailles. They decided on Sunday, as the fountains
were advertised to play, and all were very anxious to see them.

They drove there and enjoyed every moment, especially when passing St.
Cloud. They saw all it was possible to see in one day, but felt as if it
was very little, after all.

They went through the palace as fast as they could, but any one knows
who has been there that with those glossy floors it took time.

The room devoted to war pictures they did not care for, but were much
interested in Marie Antoinette's private rooms, which were so very
small, and also in the place where the Swiss Guards were killed in
defending her.

The state apartments were very elegant, especially the Galerie de Glace,
where the German emperor was proclaimed emperor in the late war.

Of course the girls were eager to get to the Great and Little Trianon.
They were disappointed in the size and simplicity of their furnishings.
The rooms, however, were so full of historical interest that their
disappointment was forgotten, and they thought they could have spent all
their time in the two houses.

In the coach-house were seen some very curious old state coaches used by
Charles X. and Napoleon I. and many other sovereigns.

The man in charge was almost as much of a curiosity as the coaches, he
told his stories in such an interesting manner, laughing heartily at his
own jokes.

[Illustration: PETIT TRIANON.--_Page 108._]

The drive home was delightful, but they were all too tired to say very
much. After a good dinner, the two girls talked as fast as magpies over
the delights of the day. Being like most girls, Marie Antoinette was one
of the most interesting characters in French history, and they talked of
her and her sad life, feeling almost as if they had lived a portion of
it with her, in the quiet retreat and lovely gardens of Versailles.

Mr. Winter said to his wife, "I have really finished my business this
side of the water, and unless you would like to remain in London three
or four more days for the 'Etruria,' we can catch the 'Teutonic' next
Wednesday."

Mrs. Winter said she would like to go home on the "Teutonic" very much,
but did not like to leave Mr. and Mrs. Ford, as they had made all their
arrangements to go home together.

Mr. Ford said, "We are delighted to shorten the trip, as I ought to be
at home now; but we did not like to break up the party."

"Very well," said Mr. Winter. "We will go out and telegraph to Liverpool
for state-rooms."

Alice said to her mamma, "I wonder if we can like the 'Teutonic' as well
as we did the 'Etruria' that brought us over the seas so safely."

Monday was devoted to visiting the Salon, where they saw so many
pictures that they came away with a very vague idea of what they had
seen, but all agreed they preferred the English pictures of the present
day to those of the French.

Tuesday night saw our party again in London, but at the Savoy Hotel,
where they had delightful rooms overlooking the river.

Wednesday at eleven o'clock our happy party took the special train
which connects with the fast steamers, and at four o'clock were on the
"Teutonic" and starting for home.

A lovely night down to Queenstown, where the steamer stops for the
mails. While waiting the next morning, Mr. Winter and Mr. Ford took
Alice and Nellie on shore in the tug, and gave them a nice drive in a
jaunting car.

The girls did not enjoy the drive very much, but were glad of the
experience.

The ladies were very much interested in the boats which came out to
the "Teutonic" with women who had laces and small articles to sell. The
things were sent up to the deck in baskets, on ropes, which were tossed
up for the passengers to catch. Some of the Irish girls were very
bright, and made very good sales.

[Illustration: THAMES EMBANKMENT.--_Page 111._]

At last the tug with the mails arrived, and was attached to the steamer
at once. Both went down the harbor until the passengers, among them our
party, and the mails had been transferred. The girls were uneasy until
they were with their mothers.

At two o'clock the tug left them, and then, indeed, it seemed as if they
had started for home.

One bad stormy day, some foggy and some delightful ones, fell to their
share. No one of their party was sick, and they thought the steamer
delightful. Much as they had liked the "Etruria," it was decided by all
that the "Teutonic" would be their steamer in the future.

New York was reached on Wednesday afternoon, and at night the entire
party was at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, feeling very glad to get safely
across the ocean again. They had become such good friends it was very
hard to separate.

However, a promise was made by the Fords to visit Mr. and Mrs. Winter
before the summer was over.

Thursday night the Winters could have been found in their own home,
all very happy, and feeling that the following years would be fuller
of interest in every way for the experiences, most of them pleasant, of
their charming trip to Nuremberg and back.

[Illustration]




[Transcriber's Notes


All words printed in small capitals have been converted to uppercase
characters.

The following modifications have been made,

  Page 18:
  "fairy-land" changed to "fairyland"
  (it was like a glimpse of fairyland)

  Page 74:
  "bergomasters" changed to "burgomasters"
  (the old burgomasters meeting there for their nightly mugs)

  Page 76:
  "Runigunde" changed to "Kunigunde"
  (planted by Empress Kunigunde eight hundred years ago)

  Page 78:
  "Firth" changed to "Fürth"
  (the first railroad was opened to Fürth)

  Page 113:
  "Mr. and Mr." changed to "Mr. and Mrs."
  (to visit Mr. and Mrs. Winter)]






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