Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-10-23

. tHttiStlNtS bluNtS. bOu We DTUlScu IOr the Ice,
storms and barren soil of New England, NAV
its climate never grow milder or its land more
fertile
MONTE MoNTERoNE-LAKEo OF oRBA.
Gliding gently over the blue waters of Lego
Maggoire, beautiful glimpses are obtained
through the mountain vista of the white peaks
OF the Monte Rosa range-peaks nearly as lofty,
and by many considered as grand, as Mt Blanc
itself Their dazzling SHOWS were my beacon
1 lights, and pointed out the way was TO co.
Once fairly within the bracing atmosphere
breathing round them, knew the mountaineer
spirit would be kindled again. A splendid walk
over the Monte Monterone,-from which over
look the rich plains of Lombardy and clearly
made out the white outline of Milan cathedral
while to the north peak rose on peak in stormy
confuson-set me down on the shores of the
Lake OF Orba. When you, yourself dear Re-
4 publican, make your tour, do the same. Arrive
at Orba about sunset, while the vesper bells are
Ginning from dozen converts about the nights
and if you do not feel you are drinking your
fill of sound and beauty, then pack your trunk
and return home, for nothing in Europe will
charm you. Orba is much smaller than the
other lakes. The eye takes it in in one satisfy
ing picture Stay there couple of days at
least living on figs and grapes, and look to it
that your chamber windows command the love-
ly little island San Giulio--its church and con-
vent seen once as they rise into the sunset-sky,
and then again in the limpid mirror of the lake.
THE SACRED MOUNTAIN AND IT'S FIGURES.
From Orba a walk of four hours over the
Col do Coma brings one to Narallo, a sort of
Mecca for devout pilgrims from all parts of Sar-
dina. Its "sacred mountain as it is called. a
beautiful hill some five hundred feet in hight
crowned by fifty chapels, is extremely well worth
visit. Within these chapels are groups of life
sized figures in terra Gotta, painted, clothed,
adorned with natural hair, representing the
principal events in the life of Christ. You look
at them through grated windows. They are
staftlingly life-like, some of them works of cx-
traordinary merit. ! confess at first | expert
enced feeling Of supersttious fear, and had to
nerve myself for second look. So fearfully
natural, and yet so motionless it seemed as
though an enchanters spell had arrested the ac-
tors in the different scenes and fixed them there
forever. You see Adam and Eve in the garden.
surrounded by every kind of animal from the
huge elephant or tawny lion to the hare or mar
mot. Then commences the history of Christ.
Some of the angelic figures in the Annunciation
are really celestial. The massacre of the inno-
cents is a real transcript of the shocking scene,
in which ruthless soldiers are hacking and tramp
ling under foot helpless children, and frantic
mothers are struggling wildly to rescue them
And so on through the whole history. The
scene Of the crucfxion brings in at least hun
dred figures, Roman soldiers on horseback, the
executioners, the women that followed Jesus,
priests spectators. ] could hardly make up nv
mind what to think of the spectacle. 1t was
more like the faithful reality than anything ones
own Imagination can work out, and certainly
gave dstinctness TO the simple story of the gos-
pels. Its effect rude and uncultivated minds
must be tremendous, and, if well directed by
the priesthood. productive of good. One thing
is certain, it is help to the contemplation of
the life OF Christ, If rightly used, and another
thing is equally certain, that it furnishes pow
erful lever for fostering superstition in the minds
TIM thowsEns Or Ine PEASANT uIIil.s.
From Narallo a walk of twenty-ninc miles
brought me about dark to Macugnaga at the
foot of Monte Rosa, and splendid walk it was.
. that Mrs Bloomer hao ever taken it, WHY.
what on earth has she to do with it ? suppose
you say. great deal for the peasant girls of
the valley wear trowsers. Had Mrs Bloomer
only seen their costume. and adopted it without
change, her success would have been complete.
and from Maine to Georgia no skirt would lon
ger have swept the street. 1t is more like the
Greek dress than anything | have ever seen.
perfectly femenine, admitting of great fieedom
of motionx and full of bright color | would
have gone into a village shop and purchased
complete dress, and offered a prize at home to
any lady who would start it.; but my knapsack
afforded no room for slowing it away, and wear
ing 1t myself was out of the question. FIT.