STRASBOURG.
"Uncle John," said Eric, the next morning, "do you think of going through
Strasbourg, when we leave for Munich?"
"No," said his uncle; "I have business to attend to on another route."
"But, papa," expostulated Johnny, "we want to see the great clock in the
Strasbourg Cathedral."
"It will be impossible for me to go," Mr. Van Rasseulger said, very
decidedly; but seeing that both the boys were greatly disappointed, he
added, "If you could be a sober boy, Johnny, I might trust you alone with
Eric, and you might go to Switzerland by the Strasbourg route, meeting me
at Lucerne."
"By ourselves? O, how jolly!" Johnny exclaimed, turning a somersault upon
the floor.
"But the question is, my boy, _Can_ I trust you?"
"O, papa!"
"I will consider it, John. I can trust Eric, but your inclinations are apt
to be rather unsteady."
That was certainly true, for Johnny's inclination just then was, back
parallel with the floor, heels at a right angle with his head.
"But I think I will try you," continued his father. "I shall put you under
Eric's care, and require you to obey and refer to him. You may start
to-morrow morning, which will give you time to spend a day and night at
Strasbourg, and to meet me at Lucerne, on the evening of the day after
to-morrow."
"Hurrah! hurrah!" screamed Johnny, leaping to his feet, "hurrah for
Strasbourg and its wonderful clock! Three cheers for--Good gracious!"
The excited boy's exuberant spirits went up with Eric's guide-book to the
ceiling of the room, and returned in bewilderment as the unfortunate book
came down in a basin of water in which he had been sailing his magnetic
ship.
"An encouraging beginning that," remarked his father, gravely.
"I didn't mean to, Eric," Johnny said quite meekly; "I guess 'twill dry in
the sun."
"Then you had better put it there," said Mr. Van Rasseulger; "you are
tearing the leaves by holding the book in your wet hands." Johnny spread
the guide-book upon a sunny window-seat, listening with interest to Eric's
proposal.
"I must study the route on the map down stairs; and if you are willing,
uncle John, I will go out now with Johnny and get the tickets."
"Certainly," said his uncle; "but my advice would be to study a dry
guide-book and the map before getting the tickets; there may be a choice
of routes."
This was excellent advice, as the boys soon found. There were three
routes, and some time elapsed before they decided upon one.
At length they chose the shortest of all, as their time was limited and
they wanted it all for Strasbourg. Their choice, therefore, fell upon the
most direct route, it being straight across the country of France, and for
a distance of about two hundred and fifty miles traversed by rail.
They consulted with Monsieur Richarte, the landlord, and their uncle, and
decided to take an early train on the following morning. A ride of eight
hours would suffice for the journey, and their early start would enable
them to have a few hours for sight-seeing in the day and twilight.
But tourists should always allow for detention. For although Mr. Van
Rasseulger saw them safely aboard the early train in the morning, an
accident detained them at Vitry, and when they reached Strasbourg it was
night--a dark, rainy, dismal night.
They rode directly to the principal hotel, a large, roomy,
comfortable-looking place, and immediately after supper proceeded to their
room for the night.
Before retiring, Johnny looked out from between the crimson window
curtains, to see what he could of the city; but little was visible.
Opposite the window was a little two-story house, with queer stagings
about the chimneys. He called Eric to look at them, saying he guessed the
chimneys were being rebuilt.
"No, Johnny," said Eric. "You will find those stagings upon almost every
house here. They are erected by the house-owners for the especial
accommodation of storks that build in the chimneys and are the street
scavengers of Strasbourg."
"Are they?" said Johnny, sleepily; "well, let's go to bed." They were both
very tired and sleepy boys, and prepared for a good night's rest.
"I think I shall sleep well," Johnny remarked.
"And I'm sure I shall," said Eric. "I've travelled nearly six hundred
miles since night before last."
But they were destined to disappointment, for from the large, open
fireplace in the room there issued, all night long, a continuous wailing,
moaning, rustling sound, caused by the wind; added to which were the
dismal groanings of the old storks and piping of the young ones.
It seemed to Eric that he had but just fallen asleep, when Johnny was
shaking him and hallooing in his ear.
"Eric! Eric! it's a splendid morning! Get up quick. I want to go out and
see the sights. Hurry up!"
"Yes," said Eric.
Johnny scampered down stairs, and before long Eric joined him in the hall,
where the impatient boy was walking on his hands, with his heels in the
air, by way of diversion.
"All ready?" he cried, and resumed a position more convenient and becoming
for a promenade, as they started.
They had a fine, breezy walk.
Strasbourg is not far from the Rhine; and one of its tributaries, the
graceful, sparkling _Ill_ River, which, as Johnny suggested, is a very
_good_ stream, washes the city's walls and supplies it with water.
This city is famous for its immense fortifications, its Minster, or
Cathedral, and the Astronomical Clock of the Three Sages.
Its form is triangular, and the entire city is enclosed by a bastioned
line of ramparts and several outworks.
There are seven entrance gates, and on the east side is a strong
pentagonal or five-sided tower.
There is a network of sluices, by which the surrounding country can be
inundated. Strasbourg is one of the most important fortresses and arsenals
of France, besides being its principal depot of artillery. It is
pleasantly situated, but most of its streets are narrow, with lofty
eaves-drooping houses.
The boys were surprised to hear its inhabitants speaking German instead of
French, but learned that the town was originally German, and was ceded to
France in one of the Louis XIV. wars, when it became the capital of _Bas
Rhin_, a division of France, on the eastern frontier.
In many of the streets of Strasbourg are little wooden bridges, similar to
canal bridges. These are built over the Ill, which intersects the city in
all directions.
When Eric and Johnny took their stroll, it was market-day, and, even at
that early hour, the streets presented a lively scene.
Carts and drays were the stalls in the open street, and people were buying
and selling at a great rate.
The fish stalls were surrounded by storks; but the people seemed to mind
them no more than the birds minded the people. These storks are great
favorites with Germans. In Strasbourg they are as tame as our domestic
hens, and it is very comical to see them strutting importantly about, as
if they had as good a right to the sidewalk as the other citizens.
The boys returned to the hotel with ravenous appetites, but, hungry as
they were, could not appreciate the described daintiness of a most
apparently unpalatable pie, called _pate de foie gras_; so they were
obliged to content themselves with other edibles and fragrant French
coffee.
"Now for the minster!" said Eric, as they arose from the table.
"The _minister_?" exclaimed Johnny; "what for?"
Eric laughed.
"Not _minister_, but _minster_. A minster is a cathedral church."
"I don't care much about the minster, then," said Johnny, running up
stairs on all fours. "I've seen cathedrals till I'm sick of them. But this
clock _is_ curious, and I'm anxious to see it."
"Johnny," expostulated Eric, "walk properly. You ought to have been a
monkey.--And that reminds me," he added, "I must feed Froll and fasten
her, that she may do no mischief while we're at the cathedral."
Little Froll received an ample breakfast, and her silver chain was
securely fastened. Then the boys left her.
When they had been gone a while, and her breakfast had disappeared, Froll
became lonesome, and cast her eyes about to see with what mischief she
might best employ herself. But thoughtful Eric had placed every temptation
out of her reach.
Meanwhile Eric and Johnny were viewing the wonders of the famous
astronomical clock.
This clock is in the Strasbourg Cathedral. It was built in the cathedral,
before its completion, in the year 1439, and was invented by Isaac
Habrecht, a Jewish astrologer.
European clocks were first invented in the eleventh century, by the
Saracens, and used principally for monasteries. They were very rude,
simple affairs, and sometimes would only "go" when somebody pushed the
pendulum, which was rather inconvenient than otherwise.
So wise mathematicians tried to make improvements; and some succeeded,
among whom was Isaac Habrecht, who, in the fourteenth century, invented
the most wonderful clock in the world, and called it the "Clock of the
Three Sages," because once in every hour the figures of the Three Kings of
the Orient came out from a niche in its side, and made a reverential bow
before an image of the Virgin Mary, seated just above the dial-plate, on
the front of the clock.
It is built of dark wood, gilded and carved, and is sixty feet high. In
shape it is somewhat similar to a church, with a tower on either side of
the entrance; and these towers of the clock are encircled by spiral
staircases, which are used when repairs are necessary.
When Isaac Habrecht invented this wonderful clock, he meant it to run
forever, always displaying to the good people of Strasbourg the days of
the month, places of the sun and moon, and other celestial phenomena; and
while he lived it worked admirably: but when he had been dead a while, the
clock stopped; and as nobody else understood its machinery, it had quite a
vacation.
After a while, however, the good people of Strasbourg took it in hand, and
it was repaired and set going--only to stop again. Thus it went on until
Napoleon's time.
Strasbourg, originally a German town, was ceded to Louis XIV. in 1681; so
the clock was French property, and Napoleon decided it must be brought to
life again. Under the most skilful French and German machinists this
repairing took place. It was eminently successful _this_ time, and, when
completed, was a great improvement on the old clock.
It will now give not only the time of Strasbourg, but of every principal
city in the world; also the day of the week and month, the course of the
sun and planets, and all the eclipses of the sun and moon, in their
regular order.
In an alcove, above the dial, is an image of the Saviour; and every day,
at noon, figures of the twelve apostles march round it and bow, while the
holy image, with uplifted hands, administers a silent blessing. A cock, on
the highest point of the right hand tower, flaps his wings and crows three
times; and when he stops, a beautiful chime of bells rings out familiar
and very musical tunes.
A figure of Time, in a niche on one side, strikes the quarter hours from
twelve to one; and four figures--Childhood, Youth, Manhood, and Old
Age--pass slowly before him. In a niche, on the other side is an angel
turning an hour-glass. The clock is in the south transept of the
cathedral.
Persons travelling abroad usually take Strasbourg on their route, to visit
its cathedral,--the spire of which is the highest in the world, being four
hundred and sixty feet high,--and to see its wonderful astronomical
clock.
Eric and Johnny were very much pleased with the famous clock. The guide
who explained and told its history to them was very good-natured, and even
allowed them to ascend the tower of the cathedral, which, usually, is not
allowable.
Here they had a most magnificent view, which I cannot attempt to describe,
and only advise you to go and see it for yourself.
Before leaving the cathedral, they bought two photographs of the wonderful
clock, intending to send them home, with a description of their visit to
Strasbourg.
By the time their explorations were finished, Johnny declared that he was
so hungry, he could almost eat one of those goose pies. The morning was
quite gone. It would soon be time to take the train for Lucerne, and they
must have dinner.
"Won't Froll be glad to see us back!" exclaimed Johnny, as they reached
their room; "she doesn't like to be left alone."
Eric had bought some nuts for the little creature, and went with them
straightway to her cage.
The cage was just as he left it; the silver chain was there, too, fastened
to one of the bars and to the tiny collar; but the collar hung dangling at
the end of the chain, and Froll was nowhere to be seen.