The News Herald

DRESDEN HABITS.

SOME PECULIAR CUSTOMS IN USE OVER THERE.

No Laughter or Noise After Certain Hours—No Piano Playing in Private Houses—Strict Police Regulations—Flagging a Carriage for a Street Car—Other Things.

[Special Correspondence.]

The Dresden people have strange ways and habits. Perhaps they would think American customs are strange if they came to the States. I dare say they would, but still I feel like telling some tales about Dresden habits which may be interesting to you. The police regulations here are exceedingly strict, and one has to be on his p's and q's at all times or he may get into trouble. The other night several American ladies who are living here happened to be in their private parlor, which was on the ground floor of the house, and in discussing the adventures of the day related some amusing incidents, whereupon the others laughed, not loudly but merrily. Almost instantly the bell rang and a police officer stood at the door and informed the ladies that, unless the noise ceased at once, he would arrest them. Alas! the poor young ladies had to retire and withhold their tales of adventure until daylight.

No one can play the piano in a private house after 10:30 o'clock at night, and it is a great offense to throw anything out of the window. In fact, you are not allowed to hang anything, either, from that portal, for the authorities fear it will drop on some one's head and cause damage. Some friends of mine had a rather disagreeable experience in this way the other night. It was very warm and the ladies decided to leave their windows open. Their rooms are on the ground floor. One of them happened to leave a small napkin on the window-sill (not out the window). It had been wet and she wished to dry it in the air. About midnight the lady heard some one at the window. Looking out, she saw a man using his cane as if to open the window further.

The lady got up and went toward the man and asked him what he wanted. Instead of answering, the intruder jumped away and tried to hide himself by leaning up against the side of the house. In a short time the man again began to peer in at the window and use his cane as if to hook the end of it on the inside and pull himself in. The lady called her son, but the man went away when any one noticed him and came back again when the coast was clear. These manoeuvres continued until daybreak. Of course the lady told the landlady the next morning, and soon after a police officer called to inform the latter that her boarders were violating the law by having things out their window. He explained how one of the night watchmen had spent the evening trying to poke in the napkin from out the window, and finding that the occupants of the room spoke English, he did not wish to frighten them more, and so he did not answer when they spoke; but unless they conformed to the law they would be fined.

I was riding out the other day with a friend in an open carriage. Both of us were strangers in the city and were going about the town driving ourselves rather [than] go poking along in one of the dingy but dirty cabs. The horses were going leisurely along one of the main streets and we were gazing at the German girls as they passed us. Suddenly there appeared before us a man in uniform. He stood in the middle of the street and blew a 'dog whistle,' which attracted our attention. Then he took from under his arm a red flag and carefully waved it in the air. My friend reined in his horses and they came to a stop. We then noticed car-tracks on the street running at right angles to the one we were on, and we thought at once that we had come to a railroad crossing, and that the authorities were most considerate in warning people of their danger: though we also thought it rather strange for a railroad train to run at grade through the centre of the city. We waited at least one minute and heard no whistle or indication of the approach of a train, and would have moved on but for the official and his red flag. There we stood, waiting with anxiety for the train to dash past us, not knowing how the strange horses would take to an engine at full speed, with a train of cars behind it. Finally, when we had about lost all patience and wondered why the man did not let us go on, we heard something coming, and then the jingle of bells, and at last a little one-horse street car jogged around the corner, across the street and went its way up the thoroughfare!

I looked with astonishment at my friend and he looked at me. Then we burst out laughing, for the whole thing was very ridiculous. Flagging us for street car to pass! There we had waited long enough to cross the tracks half a dozen times before the car came, yet we had to wait. Since that drive I have seen several such men and flags, all flagging carriages to let the street cars pass, and every time I see them I laugh.

The drugstores have a curious way here of shutting up just about the time you want them. As soon as it begins to grow dark, down come the iron shutters, and if you need anything you go to a little bell handle outside one of the iron shutters and ring it. Then you hear some one at a crank inside, the massive frame rolls up and a head looks out the window. Finally the man or boy inside opens part of the window and you talk through a pane of glass and make known your wants. Instead of being angry at being aroused, the man begs your pardon for keeping you outside and says, 'I thank you for your order.' How different from druggists in America! I remember I once woke one up in the States and he came down stairs with shotgun after me. But, as I remarked, on customs ways of doing.