The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-08-29

would get negative and have our Sail.
% artists ''copy" it. They could make
money selling the photographs.
We feel very much relieved to get up
in country where people are not con-
stantly putting 10 on the guard against
drinking water. 1t is pure, spArk-
ling, sweet and cold all through this
country, and people need not baptlse it
with wine for the benefit Of health.
1t was ride of two hours and half
from Berne to Lucerne-through q
country attractive and "well kept"
The hill-sides were richly decked with
grass which seemed - If it had been
trimmed down daily BY lawn mower.
A number of pleasant hamlets- collec-
tons of neat Swiss cottages, were passed.
So, too, number of saw mills, with the
"old upright" wearing into the log.
The torrent of the blue Aar affords suf.
ficient power for . thousand mills.
Lucerne, overlooked by its old watch
towers and walls which seem even now
to defy the power of any foe, makes .
fine appearance from whatever point
you view it. 1t looks its best, how
ever, as you approach it from the lake.
To the left Of the city is Pilatus and to
the right Rigi-mountains famous not
because of their height but for tho fine
views afforded from their SUBMITS.
And spread across tho southern horri-
zon are tho Bernese Alps, seeming to
rise from lake to sky.
Lucerne's queer old streets look no
more quaint than the four old, covered
wooden bridges. One Of the bridges
"a pictorial BRIDGE" l might call ii, is
decorated with 154 funny looking paint
|Ings, which illustrate the history Of the
Swiss considerations as well as common
orate events in the lives of the patron
saints of Lucerne. Another 10 decorat.
ed with pictures and inscriptions repre-
senting the "Dance of Death" Won
derfully curious is all this.
The great curiosity of the place Is the
famous lion, hewed out of the solid sand.
stone rock, in memory of the Swiss
Guards who tell while defending the un.
fortunate royal family of France IN
August and September, 1892. Tho
model of this work was made by Thor.
waldsen. We saw it at night, when a
brilliant illumination was coloring tho
Lion Park in as many hues as
there are in the rainbow. As We saw it
then shall We long remember it.
Great men will differ. I regard Go.
neva lake as the handsomest sheet of
water IN Switzerland. Yet Lucerne has
that reputation. l do believe, however,
that Lucerne is entitled to tho second
honor in beauty. Its proper name is
Lake of the Four Forest Cantons. 1t
is certainly most perfect in its scenery.
Every foot of its shores possesses histor.
ical and legendary interest, and this per.
haps, makes Lucerne lake little more
attractive with some, than "my blue
Geneva"
We started early in the morning for Q
tour Of the lake, IN the steamer Gould.
hail." The landing places are many,
and nearly all Of them possess interest
for the stranger. There are a number
of ruined towers and castles along the
banks, dating back to the middle ages.
Bits of history and romantic legends re-
lating to each ruin, are quoted to the
traveller.
At Vitznau many of our passengers
left the boat, for here the ascent Of Rigi
by the "mountain railway" 10 com.
menced. Beyond Brunnen every foot
of the shores of the lake is sacred in the
legendary lore of Switzerland.
At Brunnen, . Massach usetts gentle
man and Culp and myself LETT the boat
for the purpose of little tramp on foot.
The road along the shore is q very ro-
mantle one, some of the views which
are presented being incompatible. The
lake was IN its most seductive mood.
The few sails We saw were hardly filed.
The beautiful sunshine ornamented each
ripple with q diamond setting, and the
rugged beauty of the hills across the
water were softened by the haze Of the
morning. 1t was Q very satisfactory
walk-though walking as q rule is not
to US one of the attractions of this al
tractive world. launching at . little
town called Sissigen, we passed on to
the spot occupied by Tells chapel-the
very spot being the place, it is said,
where "Guliemus" Tell ieaped from the
boat of Gessler. SCHUYLER has done his
best to make Tell real character, while
this doubling, caviling, researching age
has about "knocked the stuffing out Of
historical William and made him fcti.
tious character. In the chapel are seed
rough frescoes illustrating Tells history.
These frescoes have been mutilated by
visitors who have no other way Of
"handing their names down to posteri.
ty" except by leaving them in public
places like this. Byron has not made
himself any moro famous by scratching
his name on ono of those columns at
Chillon. It's very foolish practice to
follow, and we are glad to note that it is
getting out of fashion"
The fresco representations are Tells
shooting the apple from tho head of his
boy /; leaping from Gesslers' boat; re-
n Al