Bethel University - Spire Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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1U THE ACORN Horn the mountain which prevented the onward llow or the river. The highest of the “Sicbengebirge is called Drachenfels. Here the hero Sigfrid of the NiebeJungen-lied, or Sigurd Fafnesbane in the Scandinavian Edda, is said to have won the famous treasure, which was guarded by the terrible dragon. A little toward the south rose Rolandsek. However, as we passed the little island Nonnenwertli, with its cloister, the story came to us, or Roland, the Chivalrous Knight of Charlemagne's court, and of Hildegunde. While the castle on the now famous Rolandsek was being built, the warrior knight was summoned by the emperor, to turn his thoughts and his steps towards leading a crusade against the Moors. Sad tidings came later to Count Heribert of Draclien-burg. and to his daughter Hildegunde. She left the glorious castle for the convent on the island Nonnenwerth, and Roland returned too late. We had now entered the Rhine valley. The mountains, whose sides were wreathed with the trailing vineyards, hovered closely to the banks of the river, while again, a mountain here and there seemed to reced from the shores, giving place to small, white villages. At the juncture of the Moselle and the Rhine, lies the city Coblenz, with extensive fortifications on the one side, a triangle, bounded on the other two sides by these rivers. Even at the time of Drusus it was a mighty post. Directly across on the left bank is the fortress Ehrenbreitstein. Following the shores of Rhenish Prussia, we found that here they surpassed in beauty what we had seen before, and up the river along Nassau, the country seemed to have clothed itself in its most beautiful and picturesque array. But there was a decided change after we left Boppard. Steep, bare and desolate cliffs hemmed us in on both sides. Further on to the right was Sankt Goar, where a saint by that name, first preached the gospel to the poor people living on the Rhine. Most of these villages and towns are poor, and the people depend almost ‘ entirely on their vineyards, where it is possible to grow these, for their support. From Sankt Goar the river became very narrow, the cliffs bordered closely on the waters' edge, and we moved on very carefully, since this was the most dangerous part of the trip. The river made a decided turn, a steep perpendicular rock rose darkly on our left, while our boat steered along the right. We were passing the Lorelei Rock. Every passenger left his guide hook, rushed to the steamer's railing and strained his eyes to see the pole on the top of the cliff which marks the place where the beautiful Lorelei once sat. singing her wonderfully melodius songs to charm and allure the boatmen on the Rhine far below. Toward evening we approached Bingen. Probably because we had forgotten all about the rain, it. in turn, forgot us, for the sun now was sinking toward the horizon in full glory, and at sunset we were steaming by Hattos Island, or the Mouse Tower on a small island just off of the city of Bingen. Here, too. every one of us felt more or less curious, eager to see the desolate little town. The avaricious, heartless Archbishop Hatto of Mainz is said to have met in this stronghold a cruel death, being devoured by the mice which had followed him from his palace across the river. Bishop Hatto. built this tower in order to stop the passing ships and to collect toll from them. But history does not make this imperious prelate so cruel and merciless as the legends do. Our day's journey came to an end at Maniz, often written Mayence. one of the oldest cities of Germany, which still retains many relics, belonging to the days of the Romans. No trace of the ruins is to be seen, of the castle built by Emperor Trojan, nor of that belonging to Charles the Great, nor of Gustafsberg. the fortress of Gustavus Adolphus. The streets running along the river are modern, and handsome, quite different from the others in the city, and a

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THE ACORN 9 all kinds of ditching machinery, were soon on their way to the scene of the washout. The ground around the washout was too wet to drive on, so a plank bridge was made below the bank. Sacks were now brought, filled with dirt and hauled to the washout on the plank bridge. Here now began the construction of a bank of sacks. Load upon load of sacks was brought and piled up, until late that night, a bank forty feet high and over six feet wide at the top was ready. A thick layer of wet dirt was now placed over the sacks inside the canal and then canvass was spread over the whole so that no chance whatever would be given the water to break out again. The water had been turned on before the work was finished and almost as soon as the last canvass was laid the water passed by the washout. The water had only been running a few minutes when a small stream was seen trickling out at the foot of the sack bank. John and several others immediately plunged into the water and began to tramp around hoping to find the place where it started. In spite of all their efforts the stream at the foot of the bank kept steadily increasing. Soon the suction of the water was so hard that it caused a small whirlpool in the canal. This led to the speedy discovery of the hole. Several sacks filled with dirt were quickly thrown into it. Then the water was completely stopped with loose dirt put upon the sacks. The washout was repaired, and the next morning John was again riding down the canal, having his usual scraps with the farmers. FROM COLOGNE TO MAINZ FREDA SWENSON. A. B. From across the Rhine, the towers of the magnificent cathedral of Cologne greeted us, in the twilight, long before we reached Deutz and crossed the bridge into Cologne, the German Koln. This is an old city, full of historical memories, dating back to the days of the Romans, when it was merely a Roman camp, and later a Roman colony, Colonia Agrippina, called after the wife of Emperor Claudius. It was dark and raining. when our train pulled in at the Central Bahnhof. and we went directly to our hotel, one block from the cathedral square. The next morning found us early visitors at the cathedral, which is the chief object of interest in the city. It is built in the form of a cross, and is considered one of the finest Gothic edifices in Europe. But how is It possible to describe this amazing magnificence. when even in seeing it. the mind and the imagination seem unable to fathom the wonder in the builder’s art. without, towers extending toward the heavens, and within, lofty pillars, chapels, richly colored windows, monuments, figures and decorations of stone! We shall leave it to you to visit, to see and to describe. There was some disappointment for us. in that the day set for our trip up the Rhine was a rainy one, but the varying, picturesque and interesting sights along the river, compelled us to forget this. The first stopping-place was the neighboring Bonn, the “city of the Muses,” a university town, and to music lovers, the birthplace of Beethoven. Here, several tourists boarded our small but comfortable boat, crowded with passengers, most of whom were English or American. We passed the little town of Godesberg. with the steep cliff and the ruins of some old castle, bearing the same name, and soon saw on our left the “Siebengebirge,” whose high summits at one time were crowded with castles, but only on one of these are the ruins still remaining. Legends say that these mountains are the rocky ground, which seven giants, in answer to the people’s prayers, dug out

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THE ACORN 11 fine quay some hundred feet in breadth hoarders the Rhine. There is no river, perhaps, in any country of which we hear more or read more than of the Rhine. Yet we cannot say that it surpasses in beauty some of those in our own country, but the romantic scenery, as well as the picturesque, the varying and interesting sights can hardly be equalled, and then too, the ingenious Germans from ages back have clothed the romantic and the picturesque in romance, and have enveloped these ancient castles, of which only the ruins remain, in legends and In sagas, from the earliest myths in their hero songs. AS YOU GO THROUGH LIFE For there was never yet Philosopher that could endure the tootache.—Shakespeare. The world deals gooduaturedly with good-natured people.—Thackerey in “Henry Esmond . There is no man suddenly either excellently good, or extremely evil. —Sir Philip Sidney. Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt. —Shakespeare. Vita labore nihil dedit mortalibus. Life allows nothing to mortals without great labor”. —Horace. Another course may look easier and more attractive, but pursuing duty for duty’s sake is always sure and safe and honorable. —William McKinley. No man e'er fell the halter draw. With good opinion of the law. —Jno. Trumbull. Worth makes the man, the want of it, the fellow. —Alexander Pope. True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings. Kings, it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings. —Shakespeare. And look before you ere you leap, For as you sow you're like to reap. —Samuel Butler. I Dost thou love life, then do not squander lime, for that i the stuff life is made of. —Franklin. I call that man idle who might be better employed. —Socrates. Tis not in mortals to command success, But we'll do more, deserve it. —Joseph Addison. One of the sublimest things in the world is plain truth. —Buliver. If you wish success in life make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius. —Addison. We cannot change yesterday — that is-clear, Or begin on tomorrow until it is here: So all that is left for you and me Is to make todaw as sweet as can be. —Youth’s Companion. In idle wishes fools supinely stay; Be there a will, then wisdom finds a way- —George Crabbe.