Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-05-24
The Engadiner's Love Of Home.

At all events, for the Engadiners
themselves, the charm of the valley is
irresistible. Their intense love of
home may serve to explain a popularity
which has often been noticed. When
one considers their land and climate,
one fancies that nature has done her
very best to keep the inhabitants in Pc
nury. Yet, on entering their houses,
one almost always observes signs of
easy circumstances, sometimes even of
affluence. In fact, it may almost be
said that, of Alpine valleys, the Edga-
dine is at once the poorest and richest.
No doubt, this general well-being is
partly a result, because a condition, of
a successful struggle with nature; those
only can live and bring up families in
the cold climate who can afford the
comfort which the cold climate requires.
Something also is probably due to
the stringent rule which existed till
within the last few years, restraining
from marriage persons who had not
means for the support of family. But
a similar regulation is said 70 have pre-
vailed in other parts of Switzerland, and
therefore does not account for the pre-
eminent prosperity Of the Engadine.
That prosperity is commonly ascribed
to the fortunes which the Engadiners
throughout Europe have made as pastry
cooks. The strange thing, however, is
that these fortunes, having been made
out of the Engadine, should ever find
their way into it. OF the wealth ac-
quired by Irishmen in America, only a
small part is brought to Ireland; and
even patriotic coolies enrich their ma
tive land, not with their money but
with their bones. But the emigrant
Engadiners are still of the Engadine,
and unto the Engadine they return;
and the only reason they give for their
SO returning is that, from their beloved
mountains. they cannot permanently
keep away. They come back to the
heights from which they went forth
bound, so to say, by mechanical law,
like that which raises water to its own
level. Natives of the Engadine and of
the adjacent valleys use touching Ian
guage on this subject. Not long ago,
at Tefenkasten, attention was drawn
to two sisters by reason of the marked
difference between them in point of ed
ucatiOn. 1t was found that both had
been to school at Munich, but that there
the elder of them became i'll and melan-
chOly. The doctor pronounced the ILL
ness to be Heim,oeh-a recognized and
not uncommon malady of the Swiss
The poor girl grew worse and worse,
and dropped as if disappointed in love,
till, at last, she was told to 60 home,
and to save her life at the expense Of
her education. 1t is probable that her
case was an extreme one. But of all
the Engadiners, even Of those who sue
eeed best abroad, 1t may be said that,
like the fallen angels, they count them
selves strangers in the low country, and
that their one hope is in after years
'To reascend
Self.raised. and repossess their native seat"
Hence, by comparison, it may be judged
how strong fascination this delightful
valley exercises over the delicate people
whom it exactly suits, particularly v over
those who can enjoy tolerable health by
spending season after season in 1t. and
who can enjoy such health in no other
way.-FOrfnighfl Reriesc.