The Journal Times from Racine, Wisconsin • 6

THE 17.AC12SE DilLT JOTJBNAI SATUEDAT AFTERNOON, JAKUABT 16,1897. F.I AD HE HHt "MEIWULD, before the reign of the "Weadenkoetiig the Teutons bad waged war tn thw wood, always without sucoes. When the Wenden-koenig died, without leaving a son to he could transmit the crown, the Slavs lost their last great ruler and General. The ln vadlng host made quick headway, the gallant Count Gero putting the finishing blow, to their independence. But to this day the Spreewald folk are true to their last king.

To them he la a kind of Messiah, capable of showering all blessings on the river country; filling the cribs with corn, curing the sick of Ills and guarding them from all troubles. A GORGEOUS GODDESS Then, too. there Is Psezpolntca, a maiden of gorgeou beauty who ha often been seen In the hottest period of the summer moon floating about with a golden scythe and clad In garments of bewildering richness. She guards them from danger, but she also kills those who toil in the fields during the noon hour There Is her akter, the daring Dzlewlcs. who I to be eer hunting in the dark woods, followed by a great train of dogs.

At night comes the awful Murawa, who lies down upon the breast of the sleeping one. compelling him to utter the melancholy cry. the Boza Lose. Who ever hears the dread Boca Lose know that hi death I only a question of a few days or weeks. Then there are innumereblewater sprite, men and women who rise and dance with the peasant folk and then pull them dow: into the deep.

ANCIENT WEDDING CUSTOMS. Much that 1 anelent clings to the wed-; ding custom, stealing the bride being a part, of the ceremony. At the home ot the bridegroom his attendant arm themselves with weapons of all kind, and then In battle array descend upon the home of the bride. The chief attendant calls out the leading bridesmaid, and says: "How much I your bride worth? A fabulous sum is named, and then the dickering begina, the bridesmaid finally accepting the price named by the "Bring forth your brids." commands the bridegroom, and a veiled lady is led forth. He tears off the veil and finds some old who has been hired to make the deception.

Then the attendant threaten to tear down the house unless the genuine bride Is brought forth. This Is finally done, and the whole party starts for the church in wagons garlanded with flower. The bride wears a crown of myrtle, a lonR veil, a white cloth bound over her face a run and a black dress. She Is somb- looking, but the bridesmaid are brilllan-, tn the great white headdress peculiar to the country, gorgeously hued petticoatr, shawls and kerchieft. The newlv married couple start homeward, but their way Is blocked by the village folk, who demand -a peace tribute In the form of money.

The bridegroom pay the sum and then pursues hi way unmo-, tested, while the people drink to the couple' sj everlasting happiness. I Recently the Government passed a law1 forbidding the exaction of the peace tribute, as the custom was sometimes abused. It is still carried on. nevertheless, but in moderation. MAX MEISSNER.

1 WHERE MEmEVAL DRTCS. CUSTOMS AXD LAJfOCAGB SURVIVE. THE QUAINT SLAVS. Aneteat SwveratJtlora TTaetr ii eestor Treaiarcd a. a Implleltljr Believed I Tko Uit Kims of the Weed.

BERLIN, Jan. X. The recreation ground of Germany' capital, both winter and Bummer, is the River Spree, or. more properly, the Spreewald. the wooded oountry fringing the 200 miles of river from its birthplace In the eastern hill of Saxony to Spandau, where It runs Into the Havel.

In winter It la frozen from source to mouth, and the glistening surface ot Ice 11 dotted with skaters and sletgfia. In summer it is canopied with foliage. Immense elm, willow and oak rising to a prodlgou height on either bank, almost shutting off the view of the surrounding country and forming a verdant screen against the rays of the sun. But It I cot the Berliner who make the Spreewald Interesting to the tranger; It I the native folk of the country, the Slavs who have defied the change of centuries, dinging to the dress, the customs, and in part the language of medieval ancestors. They form a living link connecting the daz-sling present with the darkness of the past.

These valiant people have retained their primittveneas almost at the very doors of Berlin. In them nineteenth century progress ha met sturdy resistance. The superstitious traditions of fourteenth century ancestor are venerated and cherished. In some of the little towns, famou center In the days cf the Slavonic warriors, who dominated all of northern Prussia from Bohemia and Poland on the east to the Elbe on the west and the Baltic Sea on the north, are little inn conducted. In the same crude way ot the olden times, and in many cases by descendant of the same families.

This le notably the ease In the towns ot Berg and Vetschau. Here superstition Is as rife a among the Italians of Sicily or the peasantry of Ireland. Wonderful god and goddesses and the spirits of departed warriors roam the country in astounding numbers, each and all implicitly believed is by young and old. AN ECCENTRIC STREAM. Like Its people, the Spree Is peculiar.

Nearly every quarter of a mile ot Ita entire length it shoot off a branch into the surrounding country, and at time It widen into an Immense lake. To navigate It from end to end, or even for a few mile in some sections, requires the service of a guide, otherwise the tourist will lose himself in the msze of branches or lakes. In the fall of the year the floods cover large tracts of the surrounding country, and these freezing over the Ice I several mile wide In certain sections. Venturesome skaters who make extended trip lose themselves tn the eccentricities ot the Spree, but the country folk come to the rescue of theae wanderer. The produce, which to transported In summer in boat.

I moved In winter on rude led, the Dan seated comfortably on top and speeding over the smooth surface by sticking a long Iron pointed pole Into the Ice. Just as hla forefathers did centuries before him. LAST KINtJ OF THE WOODS. In all the villages can be heard tale of the last ruler ot the Spree Woods, the great Wendnkoenlg. The native who tells of this monarch uses strange words now and then.

They are the last remains ot the Polablc-Slav language, and are full of soft melody. Poets have likened them to Vlneta. the lost city of the Slav and calling them Slav island, slowly sinking in the sea ot the German tongue. In the Spree Woods were the fortresses of the Wendenkoenlg. from which he fought the hosts of invading Teutons.

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Achea. Old I fUleers ta Mouth. Balrailtcs't Writ. tatKaf K0Y (MX 8Mr TawvieJ I kleas; in for prooCe cow. csH I -tUitimM: itotcMam tola.

I af daty. are at fr ita. i i i i A LIE'S LIVERY. BARNS: 423 Main and I20S Keith FbM black and whit ears sad earrUg foe faaarala Prompt and rellabl wile for waddiaga, pas tics, ate, or ptanlcs, and sbai si. ALL.

AT REASONABLE RATES. TelapbeasB North Bid Bouta old 8 40- PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, TRADE MARKS, ETC JOHN E. WILES MAIN OFFICE. Room DRANOH OFFIOC 107 Wieconaln tft at Residence, Milwaukee. 1488 Coltog Ave.

Raolne. Milwaukee TeL 1871. Baolne TeL 301. Tie Me MMm Go. with C.

BAYERMAN. Furniture Dealer. unaertaicers ana Embalmcrs, 238-240 Main Street. Opto at All Hours, i Foil Linsot 'Phone 283. CaskeLs.Robej.cte a bayerman, sig.

nelson, 1G42 Villa St 121S La rUlle St. O. B. GULBRANDSEN, J. J.

KRUO, Jr. 1409 N. Chatham St. 814 Villa Ss J. S.

KEECH, IYI. D. SPECIALIST. Practices only Diseases of Eye, Ear, Noes and Throat and the Fitting of Glassed 7 1 6 Main Racine, Wis. OhioBo Northwestern Railway.

Depart for HilwankeM ui. ex. Sunday in. 8nnday only m. daily m.

ex. Sunday m. dally m. daily m. ex.

Sunday m. ex. Sunday m. daily tn. daily m.

daily m. daily Arrive from Mllwanke. 6:33 a. m. dally 7:35 a.

in. ex. Monday 7:60 a. m. dally 8:05 a.

m. Sunday only 8:26 a m. ex. Sunday a. m.

daily 10:20 a. lu. Snnday only m. dally 12-25 p. in.

ex. Snnday 2:20 p. m. ex. Saaday p.

daily 6:47 a. Mi. 10:15 a. 12:48 p. 1:05 p.

3:50 p. 4:23 p. 4-66 p. 6:38 W3l m. daily 7.60 p.

in. dally Arrive from Cnirago. 4:25 a. m. ex.

Sunday a. m. Snnd.y only 9M a. m. ex.

Sunday 10:15 a. in. dally 1:05 p. m. ex.

Sunday 3:50 in. ex. Sunday 4:22 p. m. daily 6:35 p.

m. daily 9:43 p. m. dally 11:65 p. m.

dally Depart for Chicago. 6:33 a. ni- daily a. m. dally 8:29 a.

m. ex. Sunday 9:35 a.m. dally 11:35 a. m.

dalxy 2:20 p. m. ex. Sunday 4:85 p. m.

daily 7:64) p. to. daily D. L. STCBOnV, Ticket Agent Ihicaco.

Milwaukee at St. Paul Ballroad Depart for Milwaukee. 7:25 a. m. :16 a.

m. 12:35 p. m. 1:45 p. m.

m. VSS p. m. Depart for Chicaga 7:26 a. m.

:15 a. m. 11:00 a. in. 1:45 p.

in. :50 p. m. 7:88 p. m.

For the west, -60 p. aa. Arrive from Milwaukee. 8:1 a m. 10:30 a m.

1145 am. 1:38 p. m. 5:06 p. m.

8:36 p. Arrive from Chicago. 10:30 a. m. 1:38 p.m.

6:05 p. m. 1:00 p. in, 8:86 p. m.

From the West. 8-20 a. in. STTtBAT TmAm. From MHwauk 8-20 a.

m. 12-10 p. 6t06 p. 8:85 p. m.

From Chicagoi 13:10 p. m. p. m. 8:35 p.

m. From the West, 8:20 a. m. For Milwaukee 7:55 a. m.

looa. m. 8:60 p. aa. 7:35 p.

m. For Chicago. 7:25 a. m. 10:00 a.

as. 8:60 p. tn. 1:85 p. m.

For th West. p. m. posTornci bullitik. Arrival and Departure of Malls.

SI tort I I iua r. Women, says a woman writing from Paris, here are rather dependent on those tiny little shopping bags that are attached to the waist. Now that dresses are devoid of pockets and sleeves are too tight at the wrists for a handkerchief to be tucked away there, it is almost necessary to retort to one of these useful little bags. One I saw worn with a dark brown cloth costume was positively ornamental and gave a bright, pretty color note to the somberi brown gown. It was made of torquolse blue! morocco mounted on gold clasps.

A narrow! gold belt with torquolse clasps supported the bag. These little bags are made to resemble pieces-of Jewelry. In fsct, are such. Youj see them displayed In the Jewelers' wtn-i dows. On that I saw was a gold mesh! with a clasp of olivines, those stones that look like emeralds.

On one aide was a cluster of olivine put on tn the form ot leaf, with a bud of blue stones attached. A small cluster of flowers to make a spray of something I quite a common thing among the higher-priced belt bags Other are less expensive. When Mr. Dtnrley was graduated from Dart mouth Colleae. the suit h.

wore on the sua. 1 plctoua occasion was a black broadcloth suit, and the trouaare ware almost mora than akta tlfht. It came from'ths fashionable tailor's shoD In the little town ot Haaov.r. and the fashionable tailor waa Levi P. Morton, since Vice-President of these United States.

Cod-greitman. Minister to France and Oovernor of the State of New York. It Is understood that Jndre Holman, of Indiana, on hla return to Coarreea, will at once begin war on the growing extravagance of Government expenditures, and will urge a cutting down of all Federal salaries. to have tw or three buildings destroyed in a year and still save money. The As-tors were practically their own Insurance company.

But with the advent of immense buildings nd a consequent concentration of property in a small space, like the Hotel Waldorf, It was deemed advisable to Insure such buildings. For more than fifty years the. At tors made it a rule not to expect more than 5 per cent, net from their properties. This rule Is adhered to In the renting of residence with surprising vigor. Recently a new tenant In one of their bouses, who had stgoei a leas tor a certain period of years at a fixed sum.

received a visit from a clerk of the Astor estats Thin young man brought the lease along and said that a mistake had been made in the rent. "You have been paying us $95 a month," he salu, "whereas the rent should be $83.3.1. You have paid us three months' rent. Here Is a check for the difference due you." Then the young man explained that all rents of Astor residential property are graded on a 6 per cent, net basta. A mis.

tike had bee i made by the clerk who had figured cut the rent of this particular house, but as soon as it was discovered It was rectified. Since WlllVsm Waldorf Astor took up hie residence abroad he has established offices In London for the management of his New York estate. He still maintains the office of his father in West Twenty-sixth street neav the corner of Broadway, where the rent collector transact their business. All of the executive work has been done la London, however, for two years or more. New York society people have always looked upon William Waldorf Astor as a snob, and that is one of the principal reason which Induced him to say "New York Is no place for a gentleman to live in." Personally he is a man who repels all friendships.

He Is domineering, eccentric, and to those who stand in hi way, no matter how Just their position may be. abusive and revengeful. He aspired to the dictatorship of New Tork society oa his father's death, but society laughed at his claims. He Is a big man. six feet two inches la height, with a great breadth of shoulder.

His mustache Is a sandy brown and his hair i the earn color. His face would be handsome except for the unpleasant, discontented expression It habitually In the minds of society people here there Is little doubt that New Tork has seen the last of him aa a regular resident. A great deal that 1 bo ah haa been printed about his marriage to royalty, but it is believed that he Is making serious efforts to secure a peerage, and his naturalization as an Englishman would of necessity be the first step In that direction. This aeoompllehed. there would be so obstacle to a realization of hla hopes.

The great Mr. Pitt, when he was Prime Minuter of Great Brltata. once said that every man who poasessed an income ot $100,000 a year from English land was entitled to elalm a peerage from the Crown. On this bast Mr. Astor could claim a couple of A $125,000,000 SALE MR.

A9TOTVS REPORTED ENGLISH HATXRALIZATIO DISTURBS FINANCIERS. VAST REALTY HOLDINGS. Fear Tkonail Hniei Balld Inn Would Be Forced 01 the Hew York Market Cartons Features of too llamaseanefat of the Estate. NEW YORK. Jan.

Financial circlet are considerably disturbed oyer the cabled reports that Wlillam Waldorf Astor has become a naturalized citizen of Great Britain. This means that the real estate holdings of Mr, Astor In this city must change hands and that lavolves something like M. Astor, at the time of bis father's fleath, hail a dosen years ago, inherited all of the Astor estate held by the old gentlemen, who was John Jacob Astor the second. The annual Income from this estate amounted to more than 18,000,000, and It la generally believed that Will- lam Waldorf Astor has spent every penny of this vast sum during his four years' residence In England. How he spent it is another story.

What concerns the financial people of this city is the problem of unloading the IH5.000.000 of real estate. This comprises property of all kinds, from the great Hotel Waldorf, wrth, with Its furnishings and equipments, about $7,000,000, to tracts of unimproved land along the northern boundaries of the city. There Is the great, grim Astor House on lower Broadway and innumerable office buildings In the neighborhood Wall street, each worth one or two Billions. On the west side of town, in the elder portions of the city, whole blocks of residences are owned, each house worth from $20,000 to $60.00. Then In other sections there are Innumerable leaseholds, the buildings being owned by outside parties who pay rent for use of the ground.

OWNS FOUR THOUSAND BUILDINGS. At the time John Jacob Astor died was estimated that he had bequeathed about four thousand residences and build-in rs to his son. Since the time of his father's death William Waldorf Astor has not added the real estate holdings of the family. He has Improved certain sections like the erection of the Hotel Waldorf on the site of the family mansion and the tearing down of old office building, replacing them with structures of the sky-scraping variety. But the purchase of additional property he has avoided.

Before old John Jacob Astor the First died he laid down certain maxims of a wealth building kind, for the benefit of future generations of hie family. This wonderful man, with rare judgment that Beamed almost Inspiration, had from the days when New Tork wea scarcely more than a village, foreseen its ultimate growth. To his eldest son, William Backhouse Aator, he said: "Put all your spare money property just outside the city limits. In time the city will grow up to It. Always buy corner property and never sell corner property.

Don't bother with railroads or ether stocks. Keep away from mine and business ventures. Just stick to New Tork city. Dont buy land anywhere else." These instructions were followed to the letter by William B. Aator and his two sons, oh Jacob and William, the result being that when John Jacob died he left lUS.OeO.OC.

aad when William died he left young John Jacob $70,000,000. A FAM1LT INSURANCE COMPANT. There were other rules which the first John Jacob formulated and whloh were adhered to by the two following genera tloua. One of these was not to Insure the property against ire. The premiumi which the estate would hare to.

pay Is a fear would amount to a tremendous sum, 44 It was found that they could afford score ot peerages by Bailing out hero and Investing abroad. GRANTLAND GRIEVE. BALLADE OF BYGOCTfisV Into what dim. nnlettsr night Do our romantla idols stray Whither haa Trilby taken flight. And wh.r aoea Ben Hara chariot swayf Th.

Little Minister la grays Ne more does Robert Elemere pose: Wher so the faverKae delay? Nay. where is yestertaarntng's reset Forgotten is the Manxman's might; And what et Ts bookmea sayt Th Prlaoner of Zenda's plight Is en with FauaUeroy's at play. Malvaney. Otberis. Where ar.

theyT On Sherlock Holinee the shadows closet Why sa their memories deeayT A where la yestermorning's reset They walked Romance's flowery height. Nor Howell's salt eeuld then dismay; Made all e( sweetness and of light. Fer which Philistines loved ta pay. Now each his Bnlamented way To ltbrari.4 ebUvloa gees. And ea their tombs toss a spray Of yeetarmerniag's faded res.

Prists, 'twas aet yours th tat to stay With all the art the era knew. Fer tame la this decadent day Is but aa yssUrmoraiag'a res. 4 ward A. Church, La Bookmaa, maim i.xat tub rcTorrioB as rouxrva a to. Worth, 8onth, East aad Wast, 9:09 a.

sa. Sorth aad West. 0:4 a. nu North. HhA a.

m. South and East 11:06 a. m. South and East. 12:20 p.

m. Wot and North, 12:36 p. m. North. 1.60 p.

m. South and East. 8:35 p. m. West and South.

4K5 p. m. South, East and West, p. North. p.

m. North and Wast. 7:28 p. m. North, Booth, East and West.

11:00 p. nv Korth, South, East aad Week KAILS ABBXVB AT KMTOmCI! 8:50 a. m. Worth, ftoutk. East aad Wesa a.

m. North and Weet. 10:30 a. ni. South, Eart aad Wast, 11:60 a m.

North and Wata, p. m. South, East and West. 1:46 p. m.

Beat h. 2:36 p. bl North. p. m.

Weat. 1 4:60 p. m. North ana South f.iO p. South, East aad West fell p.

Korth,.