8o HELEN ABBOTT MICHAEL 



crowd was seen some distance down the street before the 

 Duke's home, waiting for his carriage to drive up. It was too 

 cold to stop, so I hastened back to the hotel. . . . 



"The cathedral square offers one of the prettiest sights to 

 be seen anywhere in Germany. The spire of the cathedral 

 is openwork of stone of a rich brown color; old houses border 

 the open place, and peasants with their Black Forest wares 

 crowd all around the space. The country is quite hilly all 

 around. The people seem kindly and sympathetic. One good 

 woman on a side street has a large store of the Black Forest 

 ware, and she allowed me to come into her house, and see where 

 the pottery was made. It is very coarse, but the decoration 

 and baking, as well as the moulding, are done under the roof. 

 The military band plays at noon, and though I hired a car- 

 riage and waited through the program, my ears were not 

 repaid for my pains. The event of the day was my visit to 

 Mrs. Smith. . . . 



"The lady was intelligent and well-read, and was taking 

 an especial interest in woman's work generally. She said 

 that the finest needlework she had ever seen was made in 

 Spain, and one shirt in particular that had been made for .the 

 examination, was the most exquisite sewing she had seen. 

 She spoke about the German woman's education, and said 

 it had this general advantage, that all were evenly educated, 

 and as far as it went, this was very well, for no one noticed the 

 deficiencies of the other, and when one appeared with superior 

 attainments, she was in such a minority as to be forced to hold 

 herself in very much. She talked about temperance and 

 other American ideas. The hour passed in the most agreeable 

 conversation. 



U A charming boy, their son, assisted in the delightful in- 

 terchange of ideas. At the station, as I was dragging a heavy 

 bag, a delicate little voice said, ' Give me your bag, please.' 

 It was the child, and a few steps back were the father and 

 mother. They waited until my train started off and wished 

 me good speed." 



November seventh found her at Heidelberg, renewing the 

 memories of a visit made there six years before, but she 



