The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-08

and at prices far below what we would
have to pay for the same goods in New
York. We also visited several musical
box factories. Here you can buy music
boxes from So to $4,000. We saw chairs,
stools, albums, work boxes, and even de.
canters fitted up with musical boxes.
Though Geneva is the centre of an ad.
mirable system OF railway communications,
it is one of the few places in which the
diligence, which used to be seen lumber
ing over all the post roads of the Cont
nent, still fingers.
Railways have not yet penetrated to
Chamounix and other parts of Savoy, and
communications are yet kept up by this
strange looking vehicle, of which 1t is
difficult to convey any idea to an Ameri-
can reader. The office of the diligence
was situated about two blocks from the
Hotel Metropolc, where We were staying,
and we had chance of seeing those
vehicles every morning, taking in their
compliment of tourists for the trips to
Chamounix and Mt. Blame. Imagine the
coupe of n railway carriage, and old fash.
Toned carriage and Broadway omnibus,
all Joined together, with doctors zig,
the drivers seat, removed from the baCl;
to the front, placed upon the top; and
that will give you faint idea of what a
Swiss diligence resembles. The horses,
the harness, and the driver battle descrip-
ton. Lexicon could not do them Justice.
Geneva is the Capital of the smallest can
ton of the confederation. Voltaire, when
residing here, used to ridiCule It's dminu.
tive size by saying, "When | shake my
wig, powder the whole canton.n
In walking on the Pont DIES BerguCs,
one of the bridges which crosses the RhOne,
We noticed on both sides of the river, long
wooden sheds, from which projected Il
large number Of washbOards, each one
being presided over by stout Swiss wo.
man, who pounds her customers clothing
with huge wooden mallet, and keeps up
an animated conversation with her neigh.
Dor at the same time. II may be very
effective way of removing the dirt, but |
thought it rather rough on the clothes.
1t was a singular sight to see nearly fifty
Of these washwomcn all talking and ham.
mering together, and every time they
wished tc be more emphatic or convincing
in their argument, they would bring down
the mallet with force that would make
the old shed rattle. While contemplating
the labors Of these water nymphs, from
my stand point rs q married man, and
Knowing how 1t was myself" when
putting on clean linen, to discover the
absence of n button, could not but think
what IN immense amount Of trouble and
vexation they were weekly inflicting on
the married men and women of Geneva,
by their reckless use of the mallct, when
they are knocking the dirt out and the
buttons Off of all the clothes entrusted to
their care. left this scene Of mangcd
shirt bosoms, feeling happy in the con.
sclousness that Geneva was not my abid-
ing place. The Ex-QueCn Isabella of Spain,
was stopping at the Metropolc, and occu.
pied one wing of it with her suite. Imct
her in the corridor on her way to her
carriage. She is stout, coarse looking
person, and had very little of that divinity
that doth hedge a King or Queen, about
her. II she had on calico dress, aud
stood guard over an apple stand, she wonld
really have not looked out of place.
b. NJ