The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-06
zURIcg IN WINTER.
The Lack Of 0at- Door AmuSements.
Neglected Woman.


ZUKIcH, January %
In my last letter spoke of the more public
forms of social life and recreation as these ex-
ist in the form of music, the theater and the
winter balls in ZuriciI, and Of the total lack Of
outdoor amtsemeRts through the long, mild,
moist winter OF the feeble interest felt in
healthFul sports, the experience Of some Anleri-
can schOoI-boys during the Christmas HOLIDAYS
may serve as an Illustration There had been
neither ice nor snow worth mentioning during
the early winter, bat Suddenly the CtIiherw
appeared mantled in snow and every street,
corner bore d red poster announcing that Sihi-
holsh was freezing. Slhiholsli IS the municipal
skating pond This was on Friday Skates
were brought from their summer hiding-piaees
and polished and ON Saturday afternoon the
small boy portion of the American colony re-
paired to SihlhOisli-a long, cold walk The
municipal Waterman IN charge, however nr-
sympathe;ically told these frss-eamers that the
siee, although three inches thick. was not open
to the public. not being thought safe. On
Monday, if all went well. the pond would
be open. Sunday was bitterly cold and ON
Monday morning the same applicants appeared
once more, re-enforeed By snail number
OF German, English, and American admits.
But the municipal Waterman stolidly observed
that the ice had not yet reached uniform
thickness of four inches, and declared the pond
closed. On Tuesday the pond was open four
hours, crowded by skaters Of nearly al nation
d4ltlcS except the SWISS DIT III the afternoon
snow fell heavily and at night thaw began.
Since then there has been no ice. The Ameri-
can boys do not perceive the utility Of q manic
ipal skating pond.
A SATURDAY EXCURSION
Last Saturday was day TO be remembered
as long a. memory lasts. The sky vas cold and
ciear,-a rare phenomenon IN Zurich winter,
the Utli was snow-capped. and the Alps re-
yealed themselves for the second time since
Christmas. For the Russian and American
students there was question Of Saturday
afternoon work. Whoever did not stride OF
toward the lake for a pull towards the Rapper-
swyl, put rubbers in his pocket for use in
downward climbing. and, gathering hastily
/ group OF eompatriots, followed the lake road
. mile more for the lower view Of the
Alps, and then branched OF towards the Utii.
I The road is narrow and stony, barred here and
/ there by ox-teams stuck fast IN sudden turns
on their way downward from the iumber-euf-
/ tings Towards the top it is steep, zigzags
/ sharply, and presents, in winter, sort OF vert
/ lcal skating pond surface. To add to It's diff
/ cuities, there are usually 4 halfd0zen peas
ant women coming down, attached, as brakes,
/ to heavy bundles Of fagg0ts that slide with
such increasing force to threaten at times
some danger TO climbers below. But the diff
eultIess at worst, are hardly actual dangers,
| and TO the ADglO-Saxon nature present, indeed.
additional attractions. Moreover, pear cider
and peasant bread at the foot of the UtIi have
/ mysteri0uSly abiding influence, besides taSt-
/ ing extremely good after three niles winter
walk across the valley. Four hours Of fairly
steady work bring one comfortably from the
| university down the eastern hill, through the
| town, across the Limmat bridges, and down
the lake side: then well across the level valley
floor, and up through orchards more like those
| of Maine than an American often secs in
Europe, to the border Of the forest; then, up,
| up, up, to the Tito Staffel. ia peasant resting
place that offers promise Of hot milk for
the returning wanderert and, finally, cut
upon the Kuhn. If the walk had afforded no
pleasure in itself; If the four hours had been
season of unbroken toll, FIVE minutes on the
crest would have been rich reward. For Zu-
rich the sunset hour was already long past, but
from the Utli crest the western valley was fill
ed with rosy mist eastward the lake stretched
Tar away towards the Alps, cruelty cold and
quiet. South and east and west stood the SHOW
crests that guard the road to Italy, cold and
stern in the eoIorless light Of the sinking SUI
The wind died away. silence reignes
faded slowly out, tae rosy mist Of taslern
valley changed TO gray, low hang - fof- tar
over the Jungfrau the first bright star OF COM
ing night sh0ne clear and large-tEe world was
filed with silence and cold.
The Staffrl Inn is phiEstine place, and
when we came down to it. we did not sc0Tn its
warm corner and glowing stove OF It's moderate
portions of hot milk measured according to the
frugal Swiss standard of hunger But We won
dered at the two old gentlemen in another corner
whose tray of broken erusts and crpmbled
cheese showed that their game of dominoes had
been long one-quite as long as the sunset
hour. However, the long wiry IRON gray hair
of one, and the characteristic rInged fingers OF
the other, would have proved them burger.
even If the maid had not addressed one Of them
as Herr PestalOzzi and what have Zurich bur-
gers to do with winter sunsets?
4 Downward climbing by starlight, over
zIcc
exciting work: for, apart from personal strug-
giles, there is the lurking probability that the
Russians above may gain such impetus IN their
headl0ng running down as to carry every
thing before them. Nothing disastrous hap
pened, however, and the memory Of the day IS
beautiful possession for al our lives.
WOMAN's MARROW SPHERE.
Such expeditions, however, are not charac-
teristic of Zurich. 1t is impossible that group
of young Swiss men and women should find
the game worth the candle. The same society
which approves of violent dancing In bad at
moSphere until far into the morning is amazed
that American women have vigor enough for a
halfday's mountain climbing. Except so far
the social life of the ballroom goes. the swiss
woman lives at home and has the narrowest
conceivable existence She has no intere55 IN
politics; she has not the widened horizon that
comes Of unselfsh effort for the spread OF TEN
perance or the extension Of womens share IN
, / the puDHc lie OF the country nef euucabt0Gs
though thorough and exact as far as it goes, is
narrow. and holds germs of later develop
ment. Music and languages are Taught admir-
ably, so that many women who have never been
beyond the borders of the Canton, speak
French, German, and English readily and well.
Unhappily, it IS a very rare exception when
one Of them says anything which is worth re-
: Numbering. even IN one language There are,
of course, delightful exceptions. to this almost
universal rule dull versatility; and one ply
stefan, graduate OF the university, is as de-
lightful socially as she is successful profession
ally. But the exception only serves to make
, visible the intellectual and social darkness of
their tedious sisters
Their home life gives them none Of the broad
ening eomradeship with father and brothers,
, / such as enrieheS the home life of American
! girls; for father and brothers betake themselves
: to a beer garden with the regularity of return
ing sunset, and, with journals, tobacco beer,
: music, and politics consume the ample leisure
Of their tranquil days. Calling is q very excep-
tional practice, and young man is supposed
to call frequently only at the house Of the
young woman whom he hopes speedily toj
, marry.
Therefore, the men Of Zurich, being mug
given to the formation OF clubs, association
and societies, enjoy these pleasures alone; am
> the women of Zurich indemnify themselves for