Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-12-14
lQlOrtester Daily Spp.


MISS OOllnsOi, Ill Her Iuftlef volume
PHEASANT Life in Germany" established good
reputation an intelligent observer, an acute
critic, and I. popular writer he Americans
ought TO feel deep interest in Switzerland, as
the only republic OF Europe; a republic too,
which has preserved its liberties unimpalred
for centuries, though surrounded by jealous
and powerful desputsmS. We hear often Of
discussions in its federal assembly, of disaffec.
ton in individual cant0ns towards the federal
government, and are INCLINED to doubt OF the
success aud pcrmanence of its republican in.
stjtuti0ns. But we forget that its progress to-
wards freedom has been gradual the confed
eracy consisting of only three cantuns in 1903,
and slowly gaining accessionS till 1916, when
it embraced twenty two, its present number.
The disSensionS have generally had their
origin IN social wrongs which needed redress,
and social Inequalities needing to be removed,
and have always terminated in important gains
for freedom. They are not unlike the slrug-
giles familiar TO us between the free institutions
OF the North and the scrvile Institutions of the
South, though the tiual issue with us has been
generally reversed, and the battle has been
lost TO freedom. The c0nfederacy closely re-
sembles our own government, each canton
having an exclusive jurisdiction over its local
Interests The federal assembly is composed
OF two houses like congress; HE lower one,
as our own, elective according to population;
the higher one, like the senate composed of
two members from each canton The cxecu-
tive power is vested in a federal council OF
seven, chosen not by the people. but by the
assembly, and the council elect their own
president. The salaries Of all officials are
small, and few enter public life with the eX.
pectaIOn OF amassing fortune. The general
prosperity OF the country, which i'll noun
famous region Of fifteen thousand square
miles n nOnnlDtipn Ot two and 81 half
millions, is one OF the best tributes to the su
periority OF free institutions Vermont need
not send her children elsewhere TO seek their
fortunes, when Switzerland maintains such
crowded hive
Miss Johnson received many pleasant i'm
pressions of the social habits o: the people.
She liked the simplicity of custom house reg
uatuns. dIer baggage was set down on the
platform in Basic depot
"a man placed his hand respectfully on it,
and asked, What have you in this g The
usual articles Of a lady's wardrobe Nothing
else Z? Nothing Upon which he respect
fully bowed and departed"
She was greatly pleased with the cordial
greetings given her in many cantons, simply
because she was a stranger.
"Whenever," in Zug, "they meet stranger,
they offer him the hand, and in so cordial
manner that one is troubled to know how to
receive it, 1t is something to be treasured in
the memory forever, and disposes rs so kindly
e the pe0pe that t we shutting
trast to the cold, inhospitaSle,i 'WhSare you 3?
manner of the bigII-bred.apRd %0rldfyAwise"
The simplicity OF some of the habits of
people. nnversed in worldiness, waS very
striking. In rural districts they still retain
the old fashioned confidence in each others
honesty, and if Il nciglbor wants anything IN
the St0rehouse or pantry of another, he takes
it and pays for it when convenient The Gel
lar and milk room have no locks, and if one
needs milk or cream in the night, lie enters
and helps himself leaving the money under
the pan, With a similar spirit, they refuse to
sell manuta 'tured goods at the mills for less
than they can be bought at the stores, say
ing
at they were sold for less, every body would
come to the mills to buy, and the merchants
would have no profit"
Such habits are peculiar of course to the
districts, apart from the general route of trav-
ell. On the more frequened roads, they soon
learn the value OF money, and nave ingenious
ways of eXtorting it. Miss johnson alludes
to some of the inn keepers, whose nominal
charges are low, but who always manage to
include extras in the bills, more than doubling
the nominal charge, and Withholding the bill
till tile train or diligence is about to start,
when one must lose his passage if he attempts
to dispute it.
The Swiss cottages look very picturesque
in painting, but are better ornaments for a
landscape than homes for comfort loving PEG.
pie MIR. Thoreau might enjoy one i'll his her
nit life in the woods Of Concord, but few of
our ladies would care to rent or purchase
them. Our author gives a description OF peas.
ant cottages =
"The first story upon the ground foor5is
devoted TO wood, wagons aud trumpery, and
the second story is entered by stairs outside.
The sitting.room and sleeping room for the
elders OF the family are over the basement in
front and adjoining them behind 10 the kitchen,
which reaches to the root. A dark stairway
leads to the chambers, which correspond to
the front rooms below. 1t looks very dark
and dismal without and within. The great
stove is sometimes of pOtters ware and some
times Of bricks. The rude benches, upon
which the family gather round the fire in win
ter evenings, are entirely of home manuiac.
ture, and are generally the table and the
chest of drawers which are everywhere the
accompaniment. Under the benches are long
rows of old and new shoes, and over the stove,
on strings or poles, long rows of clothes and
stockings hanging up TO dry. There will be
bed in each room and one or two cradles,
perhaps loom, and apparatus for all useful
purposes hanging on nails TO the walls"
"The huts higher up on the mountains for
the shepherds are more primitive and uncom
Portable, many degrees inferior to our poorest
log cabins:
"They are of logs, notched at the ends to fit
together, with root the same, or OF shingles,
kept in their places by stones. They are
accessible to both wind and rain, and having
no chimney, are black with smoke, and make
no prctensons to cleanliness The milk room
is partly under ground, and very dark and so
constructed that if possible, it may be kept
cool by rils of running water In the princi
pal room fireplace is made by digging n
cavity in the earth and paving it with stones,
and through a hole in the roof the smoke
makes its exit, unless driven by a contrary
wind or its own evil propensitieS, it chooses
to spread itself through the room, which is
generally the case. Over the fire is great
copper cauldron, in which the milk is alwal
warmed before it is converted into Swiss
c'ee.e."
The diet of the common people is quite MS
unattractive as their dwellings, being more
suited TO slender purses than 10 dainty appe
iiies. Their bill Of fare is not tempting. In
Uri
"Meat is very rare; the various prepare
tions of milk and cheese being the principal
sustenance OF the poor; and many see nothing
all winter but porrdge, and all summer but