Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-09-11
FIRST EDITION.
AMONG THE ALPS.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, August, 1873.
No words can convey an adequate idea Of the
mountain scenery of Switzerland. We thought
we were prepared for it, by the many faithful
and carefully y-selected Photographic views which
we have seen, and by the glowing descriptions
Of writer's as we'll as by the foretaste we had
had in the Semmering, aud in the Tyrolese Alps,
where each succeeding scene was more besuti-
full than the other, and where the eye and the
heart were filed and satisfied for the time but
We had not seen 1t, and nothing short Of that can
possibly give the true impression to the mind.
The mountains are so much higher and the
verdure so much greener, and it clothes them 80
lovingly clear to the top and the picturesque
cottages are stuck in such unapproachable and
unaccountable places, perched on the topmost
cliffs, or nesting like birds nest in some niche
under a rock and tho snow-peaks gisten in
such spiritual half unreal beauty at once g 30
near aud yet so far that we altogether
taken by surprise and find Switzerland, lovelier,
wilder, more interesting and beautiful than we
had dared to hope or than We had formed any
conception OF.
Interlaken is no place to live or to realize the
work, or the duties OF the world; it is just
place to play life in, to enjoy, to dream, to be
lazy to forget all the hardships and other strug-
les and to frolic in the light foam Of existence
Nothing can be loveer, more picturesque than
the situation of the village, all elegant hotels
and jewelry shops interspersed with wood ware
and 10Y stores That is all the people do-keep
hotels for visitors, and things to sell to them.
long level street, smooth and hard, runs
through narrow valley made by the Aar, as it
sweeps round the foot of range OF high hills
which rise perpepdculary from its bed. These
hills are grand mountains. L could lean from
my window Just under the caves and touch them
think but whom look below, there are gar
IA ufabl nd than a Vida IN bafDra
we come to the river; in reality it is full QUAR-
ter If not half Of mile to their green ledges, on
every one which is tiny patch OF hay, for they
| cultivate every available inch of land. On this
street there the fine hotels, many in number and
the stores are treasures OF beauty and art most
of the first having shady lawns, with fountains
and rich flowers, between them and the shady
| street On the other side the narrow valley, is
/ the high range of the Bernese Obtil md glow
| ing high and wide above them all In a spectral
| like beauty is the Iung-frau, now folded In
mists now cleBr and sharp cut against the blue
i background 1t is 80 unreal looking that you
| expect it to change and to pass away like sum-
| mer cloud but however the vapors may un-
fold and shadow it, it il still there, like haunt
| ing spirit At first you half dread to look up
| and find tho white face looking 30 close above
faithful friend, and love to recognize its outline
| either through doubtful mist or in the clear re-
| vealing sunshine. Some people stay at Inter
acken two weeks, and never see the modest la
| dy without her veil but we must be favorltes,
for she showed herself in all her varied charac
| ters and beautiful expressions, with unreserved
familiarity. Surely sight was never blessed
with moro delicatey beautiful vision than met
our view in the evening long after the shadows
| we're deep in the streets in that narrow valley.
when glancing up through the darkness we saw
the Yuug-frau all i1 adiated with rosy and pur-
pie hight. and cleaning and glowing like great
| opal IN the farewell rays OF the sun, long set to
| us 10 far below Wave after wave of delicate
1 h,,au fro nva har the spirits OF col
ors shifting but scarce changing, till In pale
whiteness her face was upturned. and 10 there
stood the moon just kissing her brow
| We almost shouted aloud our admiration and
sympathy, for it seemed to us glimpse into the
hearts Of things. n revelation OF the human ,
| spiritual nature of the universe.
| All day as we climbed up into the air, winding
round forest roads, hanging over precipices fol-
| lowing turbulent mountain streams and catching
the spray OF waterfalls that white face was look
ing do Vn upon us, and always it seemed near.
and always as we climbed another peak to reach
| it, it would be just al far away till at least
| other mountain heads intervene and 1t was lost.
| We have spent just q week in Switzerland, a
| week of rare delight, in which everything has
contributed to the general pleasant effect. Com
| ing up from grand old Italy, that can oford to
be hot and dry and dusty, she has so many really
| great things 10 dwarf these insignificant inoon
yeniences into trihes, we arrived at about ten r
NJ, on Tuesday night in that sparkling jewel OF
| . city, Geneva. Sparkling she was indeed thai
, night, Tor 6VHfy llbtlt IudL hHOuo
sand ewes was reflected from the lake below, till
: there we're two cities of equal splendor into
which we entered. tired, and oh, 80 dirty, iron
| the long ride Of twelve or fifteen hours IRON
Turin walk down to the bridge to peep ovel
| into the green water, and across to Rousseaui
island not a stones throw from the hotel door
and we were ready for our plain tea, bath ant
our beds. And where do you think we went t.
meeting the next morning2
Do you remember that Pere BY acinth IS in Gen
| eva and that he is married, aud to an America
8 Wife2 Where could We go 30 appropriately a
| to the old Protestant College, and library found
+ ed by Calvin, but now, with its books removed +
L a new building, given up (unaccountably to me
:. to Pere Hyacinthe to preach in.
u However it may be that they came into hi
e possession, the old buildings were there time
/ worn, but still grand and they are used by tn
IL Father as his church, and are packed to ovel
flowing with delighted listeners, that is usually
II | he never mInl preaching in common, but be
10 cause he never misses, he thought he would TIL
| time, 80 Father Hertault was officiating when "
| went in after our long walk all round the wron
way TO strike on the right one just at home.
n, listened to the apparently elegant frencl
VI discourse in which the Truth and jesus and tn
Bible. were words that he dwelt upon with o.
IT treme JUNCTION; thinking, till just as came OF
:. NJ the crowded church, that had heard the Il
IN | mons Father Hyaciuths aud was con ,ratnatin
r myself upon it, My disappointment was
ia great, when l found out my mistake that
,f must have been apparent to graduated fTens
| :
that the Father was in the building at his brea
~ fast. (at least 80 / understood him J and his WI
~. and step son, a good looking fair young man
n eighteen OF twenty, who was going round m
ny | king himself useful and kind to the peopl
n I asked if it would be inttudIng il one shou
ls- aend in cards and ask to see him. "oh, u
ye he likes to shake hands win I
90 ladies', and especially with the Amerlcai
ne for tho sake of his wife," So assured, We we
bold enough four OF us, to send our names
ali on one card, Gall We had with us) and INN
diatey a tall flne-looking lady in very pia
let and simple dress came out and gave US a me
on cordial welcome, thanking US in genuine "
led for the kindness we did her to call ON our Gov
ad- try-woman, and saying that though she hk
pre- Geneva v ry much, her home was yet dear
ng her Pere Hyacinthe is one OF the most asr
lge able looking men imaginable, though ms lhl
will | lipenee lust barely relieves him from the
pearanoe OF man quite given to easy pieasnr
His wife introduced US by name and ne sllt
hands quietly but cordially, saying and his "
interpreting, he was glad to see us, but that
.ae he only spoke French, he would expect his
'oI ' to do tho talking. though he would be glad
ne dc it himself il he could. Some surprise DO
ies EXPRESSED that he had not learned Enghen:
~ said land his wife translated very archly) w
tn 1 he had thought to learn it long ago, but eit
nn nth he was a dull scholar or he had had very
NO no teacher. but whichever way it was,he had m
oi oi- very poor progress He is probably hfty ye
old with black eyes half shut, but they can "
@ Aeu en- no with fire when thought wake1s pen
~Ewl. ttaan