The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-10
THE SWISS coDOwY I'M wIscowsIM
odd Customs SIN Chung TO with Tessoity-
Days for MARRYING.

MADISON Fob. 1i-Ncw Glarus. the Swiss
colony IN southern Wisconsin. Tor moro than
thirty years has stood ts ground, unaltcrch iy
the Yankee world around The founders Of the
colony solicited the toughest region they could
discover, perhaps thinking that the scitlnrs.
mountiins. would he less hOmesck. The Ola
rus omigrants continued. ~ far as they could.
To- follow Their former occupations. They had
stock both for fatt"ning and for vicl ling them
lntry products. and during tho rcbollion hum
dred OF Them. wanting two, served ia tn" Union
ulhiy' ih.,N W,rr Nv hNrcIity stock fh,S'fS 9u b,
soldiers. Thc langung", nsp, which they had
learned in the fnsinrsscs of the Alps. they and
their children still retain Iloyrctnn 1t all the
moro because they haVc seldom ihtnrmurrird
with other unfiunnlitirs. and because scarcely
onr Engllsh-su peak ing family has gained a foot
bold AMONG Them. Thus in household, in
SWISS dialect Or German is heard. Nnr WIS
much English learned in the first school ns IT
WAS taught by an rishiuan in log house ~
one I3.il' ihlNtip "t upitu 10y lt'nnN WIN
mine childlru. huul books wore NJ INST I'M
uurird. and altcrward obtained from the Dut 'h
ia Pcnnsy ivahiu. The newspapers circulated
there are, To this day. Germln
The village houses, like those IN city. obui
on the sidewalk. and have hrfOre them no trees
nor vet FRONT yards that would AFFORD Iluc" Tor
them. For tn first siN years all iariu houS",
wrr' MISC bud yea t,g' thor on town lots ana
But 1t il in maitsr. cccl. siaztcal that they nrc
most .'0n-'tyai Ny ~ 9.d 'usiomrs, Incii
IT, cost was ~ $50 in money. and 900 avs OF
labor. It's bell ring. twice cv. ry week dat-"l
II IN me mnrnius qnd ~ @uns,t. IN nI -' u"7.
rantpns. ana hll ~" pastors and Religion. books
have come from abroad. Their iuilh is Protest
ant. but t,ui, American their ritual sytnl~ pc.
cuiar. Tho seV,s sit separated Nv the hrpad
aisle. No female sings in the choir or Is admit.
tod 10 the i.lce club. When the minister cntc r.
the church door. the conErgg cation ali rise liil
remain standing until he has unnounccd his
text. When Worship r. over. the males al rise
and stand in their places uhi all females hay,
passed eui ~ the church amid merry peal o'
the two bells.
| IutIty 81 male members what outlay sinai De-
made for church purposes. ana an cti1ul amount
IT the sum thus voted Is nssessrd to each OF
those members no matter how rich OF how poor
hr may be. None of the paying mcmbers are
Lurinl All other. arc hui the money thus ob.
tanned. a. well a. what is resolved by the pastor
| for teaching ia an evening school, is deducted
| from his salary. He has no pcrguis,tcs.
Among other odd customs stil held with tcna.
| cous grasp are those respecting marriage and
| the anniversary of church dcdtcatiun. No q, ar'
| Wednesday is considered of all days the mos
! on the last Salhnth ia september, Mt the clos,
| 81 morning worship. the pastor dcticat's The
| church anew but the remaining Kiihi cerrmo
MES are of n secular character. The same after
! noon target shooting aud dancing commence
| tion OF Thanksgiving. Fourth of July, nnt
| Christmas, all IN one. STRANGERS lock IN iron
| the most distant settlements and Yankees. To,
who are welcomed 10 loaded tables and foam
! ing elnsses Music and dancing at three OF
! more nails, beginning at noon. are kept up vi
| next morning = small hours grow large BEEF
and wine abound hut stronger liquors ar'
-'arco and 50 are Iuarres. In Il ballroom il
/ under three managers whose chief business II
! 90 supply all men who have paid their eniranr
] fee with female partners For this purpose th
best looking manager go"s with u gHy and RIB
! lon-dcrkcd toHm 90 nl houses whore there ar
/ known g. De- yuun- ladies and invites thum &
take soui- In his .n.rHge; u" r. seldom re-
/ hullei and soon either lli> his hali or exhaust
| the -nnnly II hu--a- The dn'utios. public an,
/ private ur. manifold, hut the simple swiss dl-l
/ NJ bread ana honey i- never wanting hein.
I considered u- Indispensable rs pumpkin pie ol
/ "A Puritan THANKSGIVING LAY.
Tau. the Giirurr- hold fast in thcir iniogrit
| ancestral and national customs. Tw"nty-on
of them hHV" crossed the ocean in order To he
! hold old Glurus once morn. but all except tiirr
have returu-sl again, prelcrring HE now wurl
to tn" old. No wonder. One single farmer ii
the colony OWNS morn land. and better. than "a
] thousand souls.