Today is “Gemeindefest,” or picnic, which was inaugurated by Father for the benefit of the employees of the publishing house and the congregation.

We took a steamer on the Schlachte. Here the fishermen bring their loads direct from the ocean. This ride down the Weser proved of great interest. We started from the Kaiser Brucke, which connects the Kaiser Strasse with the Grosse Allee on the Neustadt. We passed the Freihafen and Holzhafen and saw where they are digging another harbor. The sand is taken in big pipes by suction to another spot inland, which they wish to fill up.

In the distance I saw Weltmershausen, which I remember of old. We also passed the big ship wharfs where they are building the Men of War. The “Westphalia” was being completed, and another one has just been started.

We arrived at Vegesack in about an hour. This town, which has many ship building yards, has grown in size since I saw it. We had a pleasant walk of about an hour to “Schoenebeck” where we found a nice restaurant surrounded by woods and meadows just made for a picnic. In a pleasant arbor we took lunch with Burkhardts and, after a ramble in the woods, where for the first time for years I picked Heidekraut (heather), we all gathered around a long table and had an excellent hot dinner, served, which I consider a great improvement over the American picnic dinners.

And now I met some old standbys, Bro. Ellerbrock and cousin of our St. Louis Ellerbrock, Miss Heilingenstadt, Louis Hatthorff, Schomburg’s daughter and others. We had a short service with a nice song by a male chorus and, about 6 o’clock, we walked to Lesum and took the cars for Burg Lesum and home.

The weather was grand and we all enjoyed the day very much.

Hauff’s “Dreamers in the Bremer Council Wine Cellar.”