The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-06-15
MOUNT RIGHi.

The correct pronunciation of the word
Right - is Re-ge." 1t is the highest in
habited mountain in Switzerland. pro-
pose in this letter to give description of
the mountain, a view of its surroundings,
and brief insight into the manners and
customs of the people; and, if possible in
this letter, also a description of the town
of Lucerne, at the foot of the mountain.
| am about to write this letter to crafty
the wish of a person, who has frequently
asked me 10 give description of this noun
tain. Mount Right Is in the canton of
Switzerland, about four and a half miles
from the town Of Lu ;erne, il a direct line.
las the crow flies" The ascent of the
mountain is made in various ways and
from various points, but The way | took
was the most comfortable, easy aud expe-
Gitlous. | got ON the cars ut n small town
at the foot of the mountain, and il an hour
and half was in The hotel, within live
hundred feet Of the summit. The cais
which they Use to ascend the mountain are
very similar TO those used by tourists IL
ascending Mount Washington. These cars
are open, SO that the view may not be OBJ
structcd, and they hold fifty four persons,
and have a strange looking locomotive be
hind, which Shoves You up The mountain.
with slow, jerky motion. The hind
wheels of this locomotive are about twice
as large the front wheels, thus keeping
the engine on a level. The engine butts
you up the mountain. There is no con
Meeting cuain between The engine and the
car, buJ the car just rests against the EN-
CINE. The track is similar TO that we have
in this country, ascending Mount Wash
linz of tJ,n ,,,g
the track, in which cog wheel works. and
which prevents the car from running away,
and keeps it under perfect control. Along
the most dangerous declivites is erected :,
slight wire screen; for what purpose /
know not, because person with the least
strength at all could easily break through
its meshes and fall headOng down about
1000 feet, and thus finish their journey in
this world. The highest hotel on the
mountain is located on she very cone, ike
the tip top house on Mount Washington,
aud is called the $ Right Kuhn
About five hundred feet below the cone
OF the mountain. is another hotel called
the Right Staifel.' | stopped at this
hotel. | found its accommodations ex
celent, the rooms comfortable, aud the
attendants very kind and polite. There is
one thing noticeable to all Americans trav-
cling in Germany, Italy and Switzerland
and that is the extreme poiiteneSs shown
to Americans, or to any one who speaks a
different language from their own. |
must confess that they possess far more
politeuess than we do. Now an American,
wishing to speak to a foreigner, aud to make
known his wants. he commences to speak
III broken German, or Italian, and gene
rally ends up in pure English. But his
Ia
make any other sign that he does not
understand. hence you imagine that you
are perfectly understood, but let a foreigner
come and talk to an American, in his
broken language, if we don't laugh in his
face, il is a miracle. No, we may be far
ahead of them in some things, but when
it comes to kindness in fellow feeling, to
good manners in listening to our wants, to
their earnest desire to understand what we
say, without laughing at US, these foreign
eiS are fan above US. Aud another thing,
the young children and young men and
women are taught to respect the aged.
No where do you see, throughout those
countries, the aged made sport of. They
are respected, honored, and well cared for.
Old age, with silvered hair, with bent and
trembling form, and with dimmed eye, is
held in great reverence. No aged person
can say, nave IdlStu up
they have rebelled against me-" The great
attraction in visiting Mount Right is to see
the sun rise from the mountain top. | will
explain the appearance of the sunrise.
had splendid opportunity to see it, bet
ter view than had been presented for three
weeks previous. The summit of the
mountain is about six thousand feet above
the level of the sea. | walked up to the
peak from the hotel, about half an hour
before sunrise. Al this time, person,
dressed in the Alpine costume, came out of
the hotel, and blew blast on the Alpine
horn, as a warning TO the inmates of
the hotel that the morning was clear, and
that the vision of the coming of :" the king
of day" could be seen, by all persons who
would take the trouble to take off their
night caps, put themselves in presentable
attire, and come cut upon the ground in
front of the hotel. When | reached the
summit, it was still quite dark. The
stars were glimmerng brightly, and | be-
gan to think that Old Sol intended to dis
appoint US, and not put i'll an appearance
at all, but suddenly, slight streaks of Grim
son stole over the eastern sky, and then !
under stood what was the meaning of day
break, " that it was the breaking up Of the
night by the streaks of dawn, and the APP
peafance OF The rosy fingered daughter
of morn This rosy light was preceded,
however, by a purple tinge, dark somber
purple, becoming brighter and brighter,
and coming through the many shades of
crimson and gold, until the sun came peep
ing over the mountains. throwing its warm,
mellow light around us, and changing the
far distant mountains peaks into noun
tainS of gold. | would not have missed
the sight. | would like to see it again.
Aud if | can find any person who will
bear my expenses, | shall see it again
Don't all speak at once. The sound given
by the Alpine "scare crow on his Alpine
horn, resembles very much the sound pro.
duced by our calithumpian bands on tin
horn, or IL badly cracked bugle. But leav-
ing the horn out of the question, there is no
discount on the beautiful vision of 1.-The
coming of the god of day"
Right beneath US, about four miles and
il half from the hotel, the Right Staifel.'
is the town of Lucerne. At night | would
sit out on the porch, and watched the
sbimmering lights of the city, which en-
circied the borders of Lake Lucerne.-
These lights looked like a chain of bright
glistening gems, or rather like a bow of
bright jewels. Occasionally light would
dart out from one of the many slips along
lake These were the small boats, carrying
passengers to the ether side of the lake,
but being night, one could not see the boat
but only the light dancing upon the water.
do not wonder that the Swiss people are
so full of romance. ! cannot see how they
can help being romantic, surrounded as
they are with such beauties of nature and
art
Most of them were English and American
tourists. ! remember one family, who
came from England, and who were making
an extended tour through Europe. There
were among the party two young ladies'; they
were Jewesses, and performed on the piano
with exquisite skill, and would thrill out
delightful music with as much pleasure
aud unconcern, as though it were real
pleasure for them to contribute to the
pleasure of others. How different it is
with some lady performers | know, who
after being urged, insisted upon, and
begged to play. and after being fairly
dragged to the piano, sit down to the piano,
and after many unnecessary excuses about
being out of practice, thump out one of
Grobe's horrible variations, and call it first