COFFEE DIUNKINÖ.

147

ment, if pcasants and servants come to want in their old ageby risking all their savings in the lottery? — since tliere are nopoor-laws in the country, and it is a crime to beg; and therevenue is a million dollars richer each year by such means.*

The only other sources of amusements, beyond what wehave already particularised, are those of literature and thesocial gatherings called " receptions," Of the former we shallhave to speak at some future time; we will therefore concludethis section with a brief account of the German coffee-drinkingsand other " parties."

A coffee party is, in piain language, a scandal party, for onthese occasions more slander is discussed than Mocha —ladiesonly being invited to the entertainment, since even the gentle-man of the house is instructed to absent himself from homeon the occasion. For a wretch in pantaloons to obtain admis-sion to such an assembly, is as impossible as for bim to seewhat is going on in a harem. We did, however, indirectlyworm our way into one such muster, whereat the conversationwas of course about as intellectual, and displayed about asmuch loving-kindness, (though the ladies were mostly of anostensibly " religious " turn of mind,) as the chatter that goeson in the monkey-cages at the Zoological Gardens.

First it was whispered that Featjlein Kbttmmbein had beenseen Walking arm-in-arm with Hebe Keingbos, and this wasunanimously declared to be highly indecent on that younglady's part unless she were betrothed, which all the ladies

* It is forbidden in Prussia for the people to play in any other lottery butthat of their own government. The Frankfort lottery, however, takes a muchlower per-centage off the winnings, and is therefore preferred by many of thegamblers ; but if it were known that a Prussian had gained a prize in thator any other state's lottery, the authorities at Berlin would immediately eon-fiscate the gains, and fine the lucky individual some 200 or 300 thalers besides.A Prussian gaming-table exists at Aachen.

L 2