The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-11
In the Aims.

Alp, as everybody KNOWS, means in the
mountains simply lofty pasturage. The
peasant, OF course, considers the hills simply
as providing food for his cattle; and monta1ae
in french is used in precisely equiyalent
sense. But though the use of the word i'm
plies rather utilitarian view of things in its
hrst properties, there is a meaning In the
view that here is the essence of the Alps,
Tor persons OF more romantic tura. Be
tween the forests and the SHOWS lies the most
poetlcai OF the mountain regions. There.
when climbing upward, you first feel that the
bundle OF earthly cares rolls off your shoul-
ders, and that you have finally cleared the
slough of despond." There, in the early
months, you walk knee-deep in flowers, every
one OF which is bit Of embodied poetry.
When the snow has just departed the fragile
cup OF the Soldanella makes a purple CARPET
ing amid turf which seems TO have been
scorched by the frost. Its delicate beauty
suggests that is is made rather of air than OF
earthly elements, and yet it ventures where
no plant OF grosser frame dares to rival it.
10 gather it seems to be sacrilioious. and
you are forced TO justify Yourself for cuttine
short its career by the general argument of op-
pressors, namely: That If you don't commit
The crime, some less appreciative sinner, prob
ably coarse-minded COW, will commit it in
stead. And the Soldanella is onl one
amongst throhg of beauties to which jus-
tice could only be done by the author of the
"Midsummer-Nights Dream" When de-
scendlng from the sterner heights above, the
Alp IS equally delicious. There you hear the
hrst sound that tells OF life, the music of the
eaitle-bells which, to some unfortunately con-
stituted person, at least, is the only music in
the world not rather disagreeable than other
wlse-probably because it makes no attempt
at tune. Most bells indulge in rather a
querulous reproach. 1t is time 10 get up, TO
go to. church, or to come to dinner. tbey
seem to be saying; and in. another minute
you will be too late. But the sound Of the
cowbels bursting out for a moment as a faint,
pull OF air lends it wings, or the cattle make
slight movement, and then dying away fit
fully and accidentally, dispes for a time the
belief that such thing as hurry exists. The
words which set themselves to such music
would be take your time" "chew the cud,"
think OF nothing" "breathe fresh sir." and
''crop sweet herbage.'' What can be more
delicious than the regions with vii n such
sensations are associated; the delicate beau
ty OF the most exquisite flowers, the sound
OF cow-bells, and the fragrance of cows
breath; the softness of mountain turf, and
the freshness OF the mountain air; the round
ed slopes of pasture in the foreground, and
behind rugged peak or two, fading into a
mere flat shadow in the distance? Why not
lie down on ones back, and enjoy the sleep
OF the hills in their loveliest recesses? Here
indeed, L was on an ideal Alp; little tarn,
quiet and black as tLat
In whose black surface You may spy
The stars though sunshine light the sky.
reflected on one side two or three tiers CT
limestone cliffs rising one above the other TO
the south; while on the north the final peak
of the Dent d'Oche lifted itself in one steep
slope from the glen. 1t was, indeed. charm
ing recess; but there was still one drawback
one crumpled rose-eaf in this Sybarite's
couch. Here, in fact, was the ultimate out
post of civilization. The chalet inhabited by
a small party of cowherds might have pleased
a painter, especially if his sense of smell were
imperfectly developed. And yet, even in
such case, he would have been rather an
noyed by that sea of filth wherewith human
beings delight to surround their habitations,
even in these delicious solitudes. The unso-
phsticated man, it seems, likes to make an
Alp resemble fragment of st. Giles as close
ly as possible. The native who stared upon
me from his door, arrayed in the single shirt
which serves him during his three months
sojourn, was little inclined to sympathize
with any praises OF the scenery not of a strict
ly economical tendency. Accordingly after a
peaceonering of tobacco, in return for a
draught of foaming milk, took leave, and
turned to the ascent OF the peak. -CorRhiu
Magazine.