Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-06-26
WRITTEN for the Herald
What u Merchant Saw in Europe
no. AL
CHAMoUNIx, Switzerland,
MAY 18th, 1872.
mo. 427

May 18th, 1872.
We left Baveno, on Lake Maggiore,
last Tuesday, in the rain and darkness,
at midnight, cramped in a stage coach
filed with snoring and drowsy passen-
gers. Three horses hitched abreast, we
rumble and jostle over the muddy road
which leads with many twist upward.
We had not gone far ere | wished that,
for moment, / might detach my limbs
and lay them away with the baggage.
Daylight dawning revealed to us amour
tain fastness and the broken storm clouds
very near us. The early morning air is
resonant with singing birds and nature is
merry as a marriage bell. We. halt for
one-half hour at a wayside Inn, and a
loving couple, evidently not yet over the
honeymoon, alight from forward coach
and promenade before us in the most en-
dearing manner. A promenade at four
in the morning, in the mist of an Alpine
fastness, is not so extraordinary, but it
does seem to me a little unusual to see a
silk dress, almost as light as the snow
above us, with bright red cape depend
ing from thinly-clad shoulders, and cling
ing with fond devotion to a great, burly
Englishman, dressed in knickerbocker
knee brooches, black stockings and low
shoes, with bold, brass buckles.
AT $50 a. M. the sun is flooding us
with his rays through each cloud rift
and dancing his beams on each snow
heap. Along the roadside we see elderly
women ''killing two birds with one
stone," spinning flax and tending goats
at the same time.
AT $50 we halt to change horses at an
Italian custom house, and on again at a
run down the mountain glen, past ire
mendOus crevice in the mountain,
through which issues a stream of water,
dashing from lofty eminence aud ming
ling its limpid water with the turbulent
torrent of the valley. IT'S but moment
and we are over the frontier Classic,
sunny Italy has become to us a thing of
the past, and now pencil these words
amidst the rugged grandeur of noble
Switzerland We entered Italy through
the Apprentices of the Corniche Road and
now depart over the Simplon, built by
Napoleon, over the Alps FareaceU
Italia. L wish for thee the glad fruition
of every possibility, and while regretful
that it had not been for us year rather
than month within thy borders, we are
thankful for the little which has been so
much.
Here is a waterfall which we trace to
the crest of a mountain nearly 1000 feet
above us. Away up there with such
diminutive volume it pours through
rocky crevice, dark green at its source.
but maddened by first leap it rushes on
its way until, with milk-like foam. It is
dissolved near us and trickles on the face
Of monster rock with what | should
call water lace work There are scores
of these waterfalls, and each of unfail-
ing interest. At noon we entered Simp-
lon and enjoyed hearty dinner at a
Swiss inn. But how odd to have per-
spired with heat at a. N. and be shiy-
ering with cold at noon. We are still
climbing upward at two o'clock, and
have had rare sport snowballing. Later
on we have driving snow storm. and
then sunshine again. All is winter about
us, while 5000 feet below the fields are
thickly dotted with buttercups and dali
sizes. AT three o'clock, passing snow
bank higher than our coach. we arc
upon the summit. Whe halt at stone
building with red heart and black
cross over the door, and an half dozen
st. Bernard dogs come out playfully