Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 5 (1887-1888)

Lt 89, 1887

Cologne, Germany

May 27, 1887

Fragment. This letter is published in entirety in 16MR 250.

[First portion missing.] ... Well, I must stop. Of all the sights I have seen, this is the greatest of market women. They come, young women and old, grayheaded women, with heavy baskets upon their heads full of vegetables and fruits. They have every kind of produce. Their dresses are tucked up, formed about them, for it is raining. Hundreds of women have passed, and now comes another crowd. One girl of about eighteen has a very large basket on her head and two heavy baskets on one arm and still another basket on the other arm. She is as straight as an arrow, and looks not to the right or left. A woman of about fifty years has just passed us with a large, loaded clothesbasket on her head, then upon the top of this is a large market basket, and in her hand a tray of beautiful roses—half-opened buds. They make much of flowers. Every market woman has vegetables, fruit, and abundance of flowers for sale. They sell a very nice bouquet of pinks and roses for two pennies. I wish I could enclose one in a letter, but this I cannot do. 5LtMs, Lt 89, 1887, par. 1

We are seated in the depot at Cologne. This place has a cathedral commenced to be built in 1232. The spire is five hundred thirty-two feet, and the church is five hundred thirty-two feet. There are over five thousand pinnacles, and this building is not yet completed. This building is fairly bristling with pinnacles. There are services held every day, and people go to the confessional. This is the second or equal to any cathedral in the world. If I can get a picture of it will send it to you. 5LtMs, Lt 89, 1887, par. 2