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DOMESTIC MANNERS OF THE PEUSSIANS.
huge model lodging-house in a bad State of repair, being merelya large, piain, stucco building, at one side of a bare open Platz,and appearing alinost as desolate as Gray's Inn Square on aSunday.
The environs of Heidelberg, however, are füll of beauty—every different road revealing some fresh charm. There isthe lovely ride to Wolfsbrunnen, with its Swiss-chälet-likerestaurant and black pools of water; and the exquisite moun-tain-walk up either to the Königstuhl (King's Stool) — theimmense liill swelling up immediately behind the Castle, oreise up the ravine of the still loftier Heilegenberg (Holy Hill),on the opposite side of the river, along the exquisitely thought-ful Philosophers' Way (Philosphs Wceg). Here, too, at a littledistance up the Valley that leads to the mountain-pass, you cometo the small inn called Hirschgraben, where the college-boysfight their duels, and the tables are scored over with students'names. The room in which the encounters take place is alittle Square one, and partakes of the character of a countrycasino (or dancing-saloon), having a tin hoop of candles danglingfrom the centre of the ceiling. On the floor here the would-bemen, having stripped themselves to their shirt-sleeves, thrustat one another with their " Schläger " (rapiers) until blood isdrawn, while the spectators (for the public are admitted tosuch displays) sit round on the benches against the wall, as ifit were some rat-fight that was going on.
" Would the Herr like to see a duel?" said the barmaidto us as we inspected the apartment. " There was one hereabout two rnonths ago, and we expect another in about a fort-night; we should be happy to send word to the Herr's hotela day or two before."
Some twenty to thirty such affrays take place here in thecourse of each season, and occasionally terminate fatally—a boyfrom Hamburg was killed on the spot the year before our visit.