Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-11-16

Theresa, completed, and during the present
reign the wonderful viaduct for the railroad
has been raised like spiral staircase, skirting
the mountain sides, from the valley of Schwarz-
enthal until it reaches the
HIGHEST POINT OF THE sEMMERING PASS
On the Sleirmark frontier, and then descends
into the picturesque town of Murzzuschlag
The inn, Ezherzog Johann, is situated on the
Syrian boundary line, near the brow Of
precipice 5000 feet above the Aus
trian valleys of Glognitz, Reichenau, and
Schwarzenthal. An old colossal statue, repre-
senting Charles vi in robes of state, standing
upon q gigantic base where escutcheons and
imperial insignia lie in carved heaps of confu-
sion, is placed at the entrance OF a woodland
pathway. This gentian fringed path leads on
to Eymerhohe, a rocky pinnacle directly oppo-
site Sonnwendstein, and divided from the par
emit mountain by narrow, deep ravine,
formed by the action of glaciers centuries ago.
Through pleasant beech woods thickly car
peted with ferns and alpen violets, the north
ern slope of Eymerhohe is reached. The aw-
full abyss over which it projects was frightful
to gaze upon. To the right rose the mighty
rock walls Of the Sonnwendstein, and an ex-
Quisite alpen valley, like the "vale in Moab's
land" lay peacefully dreaming in the soft
German dammerung. From the abyss 4, 900
feet below, arose misty vapors tinged with
violet and rose light from the sunset clouds,
in the west. 1t was night, dark and stormy
far down upon the earth beneath, but the
mountain tops were aglow with the Alpen
light which,
Noiselessly as the twilight,
Comes when the day is DONE
The rosy hue fades to purple, and the purple
grew gray as the stars shone out in the deep
blue heaven. No sound was heard, save the
low. sweet murmur of the night wind in the
forest trees, and the far distant bells from the
shrine of Maria Schultz ringing the Angelus,
,r,1, oI,
heights bringing to memory thoughts of 'rest
eternaT far above the stars. All through the
short summer night the travellers wandered
about the woodlands, or rested in comfortable
hammocks under the fragrant hemlocks of a
grove beyond the beech woods. Morning
night bells had sounded from the converts
in the valleys, the deep gray clouds
which had drawn down the evening twilight,
lifted slowly from the circllng hills, where
pale white wreaths of mist flushed into hues
Of opal and gold as the eastern heavens. flashed
like sea of jasper in the glory of sunrise. The
valleys below were dark, no ray of sunlight fell
on the ''clties of the plain" but the Syrian
mountains were blazing in sunshine, and the
mountain guides were proving their Alpen-
Stoke, prepared for the travellers, by taking
wondrous leaps from the rocks and mountain
brooks along the roadside.
Breakfast over the tourists turned to the
southwestern woodlands and entered the
Migothi Steig to Pinkerkogl, then due south,
and crossing the gentian-covered meadows on
the mountain side, they entered a wild woodland
pathway among caverns of moss and glens of
fern-fringed rocks. Suddenly turn in this
pathway led to broad terraced pla teau, just
opposite the magnificent Raxalpe, above and
beyt nd. which the glorious heights Of the
Schneeberg rose sparkling beneath a veil of
diamond spray, falling from gray storm clouds,
rolling rapidly upward. A deep ravine of pine
.fS low hath ,1ofoa or1 ipbf
Alpe, the fresh breeze of early morning from
the heights of eternal snow blew sharply over
the pine gulf beneath; cloud wreaths, like the
smoke of an altar fire, rose from the broad
summit of this Austrian s'Sinai;' the smoking
mountain seemed there, but the thunder roll
was unheard, only voice in the golden silence
murmured these words of Goethe:
Leber allen Gipfein list Rub.
|, In allen Wipfelr spurest du,
Kaum einen Hauch;
Die Vogelein schwelgen i'm Waldo,
Warte nur, balde
Ruhest du auch.
Then, silently, thoughtfully the travellers
turned from the dazzling grandeur of the scene,
and downward over the Gletscherstein, blue
gentlans fringing their pathway, they went on
ward through woodlands and fields of grain,
beside mountain brooks sparkling in the morn
ing sun, leaping in rainbow cascades
toward that
WoNDRoUs "CAUsEWAY OF GIANTS"
the Atlitz Graben, the superb rock chasm of
Austria. For 800 feet backward and upward
the rock walls of this strange causeway ride in
graceful slope. The Hochquelle, the river
which supplies Vienna with water, has its rise
in the Sonnwendstein, and flowing down
through this Naben beside the broad high road,
enters the aqueduct beyond Glognitz. The rocks
are thickly covered with blue gentians and a
little white flower resembling edelweiss; per-
fume of cyclamen and mountain pines filed
the air. A few peasant huts and two or three
primitive saw mills are all that break the soli-
, tude of this strange road. The ruins of Cas-
tie klamen, dating from the tenth century,
rise nearly midway between the Semmering
entrance of the Atlitz Graben, and the little
town of Schottwien at ats termination. L
takes four hours to walk leisurely down
through this pass, but to examine well the
natural beauties, to pause and note the ex-
qulsite architectural grace of the RUNE, or to
explore the mysterious subterranean passage
in the side Of the mountain upon which it is
built, the entire day would not be too long.
It is a strange sight, the gray old fortress
springing from rock so exactly the color Of
its, stones that you cannot tel
where the rock ends or the
castle begins: then. far above on tie mountain
Graben is seen, first on the right, then on the
left, its magnificent arches spanning profound
abgsses, and holding the mountains together
as if they were giant beads which men haG
strung upon granite bands
Scbottwien, famous in the history of the i'm.
perial house of Austria as having been the
scene Of an attempt to assassinate an emperor
is small town built in the mountain gorge
which terminates the natural causeway of the
Atl;tz Graben. The church and shrine OF
Maria Schultz rise from the woodland hill tha
closes the upper part of the ravine or gorge il
which the town is built 1t was near this spo
that Leopold l., who had gone to Schottwier
to meet his bride, Marguerite Theresa
daughter of Philip ~. of Spain. or
her way from Italy to Vienna, was attacked by
| three Hungarians, icing, Nadasdi, and Istvar
Tokolo, who attempted to muir der him. They
were unsuccessful, for surrounded by the inn
| perial guards they were quickly captured and
soon after put to death. The church dedicated
to Marie, the protectress, and largely endowed
| by the Emperor Leopold, has become one OF
| the. principal shrines of lower Austria. A
spring of icy cold water bubbles up under the
high altar, and although it possesses few med
icinal qualities when Chemically anayzed its
waters have effected many marvellous cures.
The treasure room of the church is filled with
| votive offerings from prince and peasant
shrine during the summer months
| and the festival of the Assumption
| of our Blessed Lady is observed
with especial pomp. just beyond the church
is moss-carpeted pine grove. which affords 6
refreshing resting place for weary pilgrims
through sultry summer days. Directly Uppo.
site this woodland hillside is the Raxalpe, and
RUNE Klamm on its own rocky pyramid. Tall
pines and conical spruce trees rise among the
ruins; the blue sky, and green fields of noun.
| tain pastures beyond them CLEAN through the
broken arches of tower and mighty Rittersaal
and away to the north is the glorious Schnee-
berg, with its snow-crowned peaks glitterine
| above the clouds wreathing the mountains
side.
day in the Atlitz Graben, day at Maris
Schultz, and another day at Castle Wartenstein
| one of the summer residences Of
the princely family of Liechtenstein
| terminated the excursions in thu
! Semmering Pass. At Payerbach the traveller.
took the Triest express once more, and return
inc to the heights of the Snnnwendstaip de