The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-02-06

!
the Swiss regarded as an omen of success
and raising the war-cry of -" Grandson" rush
ed UPON the foe.
"A few houis later 10000 Burgundians were
lying on the field or had perished in the lake,
and the rest were in full flight. The Duke
with few followers with difficulty effected
his escape, but his ambitious designs thus
fo:led, he lived miserable conscience-strck
en- man, and was never known to smile more.
This is not the first or last case in which
vaulting ambition has o'erleaped itself. There
have been i'll modern times boodier battles
than that Of Morat, yet few on whose issue
more depended. 1t was the Marathon OF
Switzerland, and had not the modern Per
sian found here his Greeks, who can say
that republic would to-day have existed in
the midst Of the monarchies of Europe.
"While Waterloo with Canna's carnage vies.
Morat and Marathon twin names shall stand.
Ihey were true glorleS stainless victories,
Won by The unambitious heart and hand
| Of a proud, brotherly and civic band"
From Morat We return to the lake and
cross over to Neufchatel, quiet little town
of some 5000 inhabitants, beautiful, situated
on the slope of the Jura. The canton of
Neufchatel of which Neufchatel is the capi-
tai, considering its size has played an impor-
tant role on the political stage, and more
than once has threatened to throw all Europe
into war. Neufchatel has been the birth
place of several distinguished men, and it is
chiefly to their liberality that it owes its nu-
merous charitable establishments, in which it
is the richest of all the towns of Switzerland.
1t contains cathedral, which is a great,
gloomy, old edifce, built in the Gothic STYLE
whose foundation dates back some seven
hundred years. In it are some queer old
statues Of the Counts and Countesses of
Neufchatel which, for some reason are con-
sidered very remarkable. As in most of the
Swiss towns one sees here a number of foun-
tains surmounted by gigantic figures, some
times representing heroes, and sometimes all
cynical figures. And passer-by, on sum-
mer afternoon, may often see around them
young men and blooming Rebeccas busily
engaged in filling their water pots, and some
times talking low of-who knows what ? but
should he be curious enough to listen, per-
haps he might catch fragment of that old
and oft-t0ld story, which as it seems, has a
charm for maiden ears.
A few hours suffice to give US an idea of
the town, and now we 90 down to the rail
way station to resume our journey. But
while We are waiting for the train. let us
profit of the time to chat little about rail-
way travelling.
Here everything is done to prevent those
disagreeable embarrassments in which tray
ellers in America so often find themselves
Here one may be deaf, blind, lame and halt,
and still get on very We'll; if he has only
money to pay his fare, and can name his
place of destination he is all right"
On cur railways, travellers are often seri-
! ously embarrassed because they do not know
to whom to apply for information; but here
this is obviated by the uniform worn by every
cne employed on the railway.
| At White River Junction. for example,
there is or at least was, on the arrival Of two
or three trains, such scene of confusion that
stranger knows not what train he must
take, and as for applying to A. B. and c. for
information, is finally reduced to the necessi
ty of relying upon instinct, and as this is not
infallible when it is too late he may find him
self going at full speed in just the opposite
direction from what he had intended. In
France it is almost impossible for any thing
Of this kind to occur; and when you have
once bought your ticket you will reach your
destination almost in spite of yourself, since
you are shown to the car and locked IN and
only liberated on arrival.
The railway carriages in Europe are diff
ferently arranged from those in America
Here each carriage is divided into four OF
FIVE compartments, each containing two seat
running crosswise and facing each other
The doors are not at the ends, but at the
sides, and by this means, the danger of acci
dents in getting in and out is diminished.
) There are first, second, and third clas
carriages, which, as matter of course, arr
fitted up very differently. The fare in th
second is two-thirds, and in the third on,
! half as much as in the first. 1t is true tha
this arrangement interferes a little with ou
democratical ideas, yet it has many advan
tages over our system. In the first place tn
third class carriages offer railway traveilin!
. to the poorer classes, and this is not all. T,
illustrate suppose wish to 60 to marke
l with few ducks, hens, chickens, and the su
perannuated old gander. tie them into
e basket open at the top, and if in Europe ge
y into third class carriage ami 90 on my Wa
i rejoicing. In America if / should be abl
to elude the conductor, and arrive in tn
d carriage, how great would be the indignation
n Of the passengers, and especially if my bag
n gage was musically inclined,- would
: not be a righteous indignation And the
= if should attempt to seat myself besid
S some boarding school miss ia red cheeks an
t white kids horror Of horrors what woul
g become of the little dear?
!, Who cannot draw a conclusion from sue