l of St. Bartholomew. Could you
not make it convenient to go with us?"
"No; for it would not do to take Pixy in any of the buildings, and he
could not be left alone here. But after I attend to some matters, I
will take him out for a walk."
The boys were ready to go, and they set out, their first visit being to
the Cathedral.
Their way led across a part of the beautiful promenade, and the equally
beautiful Ziel street, and later through the narrow streets of the
middle ages, and in a short time they stood before the mighty buildings
called the Kaiser Cathedral, so called because from the year 1711 the
German emperors were crowned there.
The magnificence of the carved work upon the portal charmed the boys,
and when they entered they were filled with admiration of the splendid
stained glass windows and the grand paintings. They stood for some time
gazing at the monument of the Emperor Gunther of Schwartzburg, and Uncle
Braun informed them that he was the only emperor who had been buried
there.
They heartily appreciated the privilege of seeing the great cathedral in
the company of one who could give them reliable information, and when
they left it, they walked through the narrow, ancient streets on their
way to the Romerberg Square, and their guide said as they passed along,
"In it stands the Romer, or Council House where the German emperors
were elected and entertained.
"When crowned in the cathedral they walked to the Council House,
followed by a great retinue of princes and the other great people of the
earth, while the streets, doors, windows and roofs of the houses were
filled with spectators.
"When the crowned emperor disappeared within the walls of the Council
House, all eyes were turned in expectation to the windows of Kaiser
Hall. Very soon the centre one was opened, and the Kaiser appeared in
his imperial robes, the crown upon his head, in his left hand the
imperial globe of the kingdom, and in his right the sceptre.
"A storm of applause greeted him, and at the same moment all the bells
of the city rang in rejoicing over the crowning of a new emperor."
It was a delight to the boys after hearing this on their way there to
step into this Kaiser Hall and see the portraits of the emperors looking
down upon them. Uncle Braun told them of each emperor, and was glad to
see that they were very well acquainted with history, and in turn could
tell him something of each of them.
"It would have been eas
|