Page:Early Reminiscences.djvu/73

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1842
45

a long red tongue, wherewith it licks its forehead while the eyes turn upwards. There followed us and other visitors a party of travelling students and Gesellen, who stood gaping and laughing at the mask, when the guide touched our party and bade us follow him into the adjoining apartment. We obeyed, and the moment we entered the adjoining room, a shower from all sides came pouring from above, and shooting from below on the young men. They rushed to the gate by which we had entered, and found it fast locked, then they made a dash for the chamber of the aviary, but this also was fast. There remained accordingly only one exit, into the apartment where we were, which they modestly hesitated to invade. However, as the showers and squirting water continued to pour with unabated vigour, they rushed for it; whereupon up leaped a double sheet of water, through which they were compelled to pass before they could escape. When they had entered the dry chamber they were literally drenched to the skin; but they took it all in good part, although their papers, passports, and their Austrian paper money and everythng they possessed were soaked.

In the gardens outside was a long stone table on which were sausages and pots of ale, and the Gesellen, both weary and hungry and wet, sat down on the stone seats to rest and call for something to eat and drink. But, all at once, up they sprang with loud cries, and a jet of water shot high into the air behind each, but not till it had drenched the seat of his trousers. In fact, each seat had a curved perforation in the midst, in each of which lurked the nozzle of a pipe. The showman of the park had but to turn a tap, and every stool was converted into a fountain. These young fellows took it so good-naturedly, that my father treated them all to a lunch of bread, sausage and ale.

The Gesellen belong to various trades. They pass through their apprenticeship, and then remain on for a few years with their masters working for wages. At last, when they have earned a sufficient sum, they are assisted by their guild, and start on their wander-years. One is—or rather was—continually passing them on the roads. They go from town to town, and are lodged in hostelries specially prepared for them, and where they not only are fed and bedded very reasonably, but are also given advice as to the masters of their trade to whom they may apply for