Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-10-27
Ihe freemau.
MONTPELIER. VT,
WEDNESDAY. OCT. 27. 1875
For the Free man.

of early DAYS accord wi h my own, You
.ound the Black Forest had what queer
f,ncirs of hobgOblns, s!ritcs ana mischie-
vouS elves it awakened in oar Thoughts
And then rs the wears rolled on. and We be
.ran to read of the wonderful land of Tell
and trv our voices with Ye cra1s and
peaks I'm with you once again; what :,
Grand picture of lowering peaks and snow
capped submits rose before our vision
Beautiful and full of interest as we have
since found the world to be,we have learn
cl that it is not extctly what fancy
then pictured it.
Very recently, in company with one ,f
my former associates at Montpelier. had
the opportunity in Il foot tour through :,
portion of the Black Forest and Switzer-
land, to test the correctness Of my pre-con-
ceived notions with respect to these poetic
and legendary lands, and although the re-
ality is not like the picture which thought
had formed; still. with due regard to truth.
may say that it is something incompar;.-
bly, better.
To tramp over n dusty highway under a
broiling sun. with Il knap-sach strapped
upon ones back. is not exactly luxuried
ease, and vet it is the best way to enjoy the
scenery and f.miliarize ones self with the
country. The Black Forest looks at a dis
tantr to l,c dense and impenetrlble. with
tie dark evergreen frs which have evil
IDENTIFY given it its name. But as one ap
proaches nearer the fertile and cultivated
valleys appear to view. with macadamzel
post-ro::ds and picturesque villages. 1t is
really thickly populated region. and
alive with all the activities of an enterpris-
inc people In area it covers about one
hundred and twenty square miles. and is
accredited with a population Of 100000.
From this forest comes some of the most
beautifully carved wood to be found in
Europe. You will find its products in all
the cities in the shape of clocks. inkstands.
paper-cutters. and the various forms Of
nantel orntmentation
The manufacture Of straw materials fur
nishes employment also for many thou
sands, and besides this form of industry
there are establishments for the manuf;.c-
ture of earthen. glass. and tinware. The
wild game which we most naturally asso-
cited in thought with the haunts of the
forest. has almost wholly disappeared.
Still there are many shooting unions. So
called. and the members of these start out
on occasional hunting excursions, and sue
cccd in bringi ing home 4 stray htre or
pheasant, or when rare good luck attends
them. L deer or wild boar is counted
among their trophies
In order that might have something q
more than passing glimpse of the inter-
,.>ting forest range, and ut the same time
MAKE Il trial of our strength preliminary To-
our Swiss tour. my friend and d't"rmin-
Il upon :, two OF three days foo. cXrur-
9jpn through its most northern portion
Accordingly. on the evening of the l0th OF
Auru>t with Il IN nimum of necessary
luggage, W. left Heidelberg for Germs
iIch. small town on the northern-mO,t
border of the forest The next morning We
were up carly,-too early for our host to
=; any extra cha-reS into the bill and
We're vending our way up the winding
r,al 10 the picturesquely situated castle of
ELcr~;cin. II WAS Il lovely m"rnin", and
il-t Ike those which continued to greet
or awakening for the two weeks follow
ing. This castle, built about 1872, has i
wy commanding position. and from the
Summit of it tower the beautiful pano-
rama Of the land We We're entering lly un-
rolled before us. Below flowed the MurT.
and into lis valley we soon descended. and
after following its course for three hours.
reached the small village of Forbarh- At
ili> point we left the Travelled road. IN I,
after very steep and fatiguing ascent OF
three hours. found ourselves amid tn e still
Ness of he :. forest primeval." Save the
>ootll:ng music of the streams, there was
H. sound, no song of birds. no chirp of the
squirrel, none of the varied voices we are
accustomed to hcar.-only the profound,
y withal not painful stiffness. After
many cuniectures as to where our path
would lead, the sunshine finally broke Ill
''lp44 t> tll'I We N'tlHt out iiitO a. 'SN A'''N''
valley where there were Il few farm build
M. AMI peasants working in the hay
h.l..-- From this valley we passed by Il
h.le-p1th over the Oxhead, and towards
'venng found ourselves approaching few
scattered houses to which appertained the
cdphonious name of Hundsbach { Dog
stream). We We're told a good inn await
ed u mile further on. That long, ever
-rnGthening mile made, according to our
reckoning, the twenty-first over which we
Ia pissed since the early morning hours,
and nur weary feet sadly protested before
i WIS completed. We found the inn to be
~" only house i'll the valley, but two very
cs.an and comfortable beds were assigned
u> slI we rested content. In the morn
IN, ttlera bountiful breakfast, we were
m'i"-t.y reques ed to pay the united bill
"' i"rty cents. Surely, we thought. this
"' ..i be 4 good place in which to abide
h'' III" fingers of our desires pointed up,
"u' and we began the ascent to tho
As.-.~-rinle, one of the highest peaks o
'.r back Forest. Soon after starting-a
!-.a>t five or Il little later-"e met
''--- ..cn on their way to school. On in
t'i.;-- they told us that the morning ses
'.o.' ir-ln ut six and continued till nine
ant The afternoon from one till thee. Thi
''.'.9 m"nt unquestionably keeps the
'''.''''n at their books during these hours
N"'n iAcy could be of least assistance il
'i" ,-.f-door work. G.. G.. BUSH.
An - hinge says" The Hudson Rive
mo % ht> initiated Il reform. which it i
~ nope all the other roads will imitat,