RECREATIONS OF THE GERMAN STUDENT.

THE drinking-bouts are far more amusing than the more notorious duels. These take place sometimes at the Bier Keller, sometimes in the rooms of a society. Imagine a party of students in a large garden, seated on a long wooden bench before a table of equal length, under the shade of horse-chestnut trees. At one side stands a low wooden building into which one after another the students disappear, and emerge again with a large glass of beer, accompanied by a huge piece of bread and cheese. There are no Kellner, and each one has to go into the cellar, and grope his way in the darkness to the enormous vat, where a man stands ready to fill his glass and receive the four kreutzers in return. After a goodly number of visits to the vat the party begin to indulge in loud singing and talking, much to your amusement if you happen to be a spectator. In their society meetings a large keg of beer is placed in one corner, several large wooden mugs (holding about a gallon) are placed on the centre of the table. The ice is broken by the President, who makes a short speech, proposes a toast, and then attacks one of the mugs. Each one in turn drinks round till these are emptied, when, substituting glasses of smaller size, they begin their matches. One of their amusements is to raise their glasses at the same time, and drink in such perfect unison that, on setting them down, they say, "One, two, three," together. If any one drinks faster than the rest, or, in order to shout, sets his glass down before it is emptied, he pays for the company on the following trial. Next comes a song in which the chorus is intermingled with the striking of the glasses together. They generally keep up the bout till an early hour in the morning, going home in as happy a condition as one likes to see.

T.