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Show AMUSEMENTS IN BAVARIA. Uutliit Waya la Which tup l-rnplr at That Country Enjoy ThetiMelvrfc. As to amusement you may trust a Bavarian not to be behind in that, says the National Keview. The men meet almnt nightly in the differed in;is and. beerhouses, according to their status in the local societies, where they fdivj talk, singing, music, et:., the, lar'e gla.--9 mugs of beer at their side being constantly replenished. The beer is fortunately light, but the amount drunk is u serious expense, and much more than tho men usually can properly afford. af-ford. Besides these nightly gatherings there are different clubs or societies that meet at cerlain times at one or other of the inns for an evening's amusement, some of them under the patronage of tho priest. In many of them the women join, but the women's chief entertainments are kiinkl, or spinning parties, at home, and very co.y and picturesque these spinning parties are. The great feature in a Bavarian sitting-room is the largo porcelain stove that stands out into the room, and that is usually lit from tho passage outside. Hound this stove a bench runs, making a dtlightfuUy warm seat, the back being be-ing the porcelain stove. But besides till: stove, in tho older houses, there is in tho wall a hole with a chimney, ' where a peculiar sort of pine, that ! burns brightly without sending out I sparks, is burned at night for the purpose pur-pose of light only. I In olden times, when such luxuries ! as lamps were unthought of, it was ! often the only means of illumination. Some still use them constantly; others keep them only for festive occasions. A mur. (generally tho wag or storyteller story-teller of the party) sits beside it to keep it replenished. The women have their spinning-wheels or knitting, and the men sit in tho darker corners; j and there aro always some losing songs . or tell stories or keep tho fun going j in some way. One such scene especially espec-ially occurs to mo. Imagine an old, dark-panoled room. In her armchair close to tho stove, in the full light of tho blazing pine wood, Bits tlio handsome old hostess, in her picturesque costume, busy with her spinning-wheel. A young woman with a wheel is in an opposite corner. Three daughters knitting and guests sit in a circle, more or less, the light playing on tho varied faces and time-worn time-worn furniture as bright firelight alone can. One man has a guitar and two girls sing Tyroloso songs. At last schnapps of different kinds (sort of cheap liqueurs) and delicious coffee, with home-inado cake, are handed round, and tho evening ends with hearty farewell greeting. |
