Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-10-01
THREE MONTHS IN EUROPE,
SWITZERLAND.

up through the valley of the Rhine for
IA few hours was interesting and enjoy
able, but our longing to wind around
the snow capped mountains, made the
extended plain, though beautiful with
golden harvest, tame and monoto-
nous. But soon after ) P. NJ. We no
tice that the railway curves more fire.
quently and our locomotive breathes a
little stronger, which is evidence to a
wheelman that she is climbing up a
grade. The distant hills creep up
nearer and as their long shadows shoot
across the valley, we are reminded that
they are fast growing into mountains.
We wait but few minutes and the
great hills meet and they are so high
that we cannot climb them. We look
to see which way to turn to avoid
them, but like an arrow we plunge
right into the bosom of the huge mass
of earth and so we fly until the tun-
nefs mouth seems but Pickering
lamp behind us. The light of day
breaks in upon the darkness, the cur
tain rises, and Switzerland in all its
beauty is before us like picture. We
reach Berne, the capitol, at s 80, find
hotel and retire. We rise early for
We wish to see all the city possible be-
fore leaving at 1928.
The Bear City, as it il sometimes
called, to a Yankee, is inoeed quite a
novelty. The peculiarly shaped houses
with their extended roofs and odd
chimneys, the arcades that run the en-
tire length of the streets, the bears on
the monuments, in the shop windows
and in almost every conceivable place
where Il Switzer can display his cary
ing, and the costumes peculiar to this
people assure us that the countless
pictures We have seen and stories we
have read are not all myths, if the
story of Tell does seem unreasonable.
We would be pleased to write at length
concerning this city for there are many
things that We haven't even the space
to mention that were of great interest
to us.
We bid goodbye to Berne and board
the train for Lausanne and if there
was one place above another that we
enjoyed most it was this part of the
trip. The mountains in the distance
that buried their snowy heads in the
black clouds above seemed like gigan-
tic pillars supporting another world,
and as We draw nearer they grow high
er and higher until we seem of no
more Importance than grains OF sand,
and if there is a spot in the world
where a man feels his littleness its in
the presence of these mountains. Our
train speeds on and we enter the last
tunnel before reaching Lausanne, and
it is so dark We can almost feel it, only
but for moment, for our train is now
upon a down grade and we sweep
along the mountain side like the wind,
| and as the bright monday sun breaks
in again, a picture, if possible, more
beautiful than any we have yet seen is
before u.s.
Lake Geneva, with its bright blue
waters, is several hundred feet below
us, the mountain sides and valleys be-
yond are covered with deep green
meadows and yellow harvest fields.
The cities and villages along the shores
look like little white spots in the dis
tance. 1t seemed to us that there was
nothing lacking to make the picture
complete. We arrive at Lausanne at
half-past one o'clock, and take steam
er for Geneva at three. The weather
was mild and delightful, so that the
ride could not be otherwise than pleas
ant. We reach Geneva before sunset,
just in time to see the departing rays
tinge with golden hue the snowy
peaks of Mt. Blanc.
We tarry here until Monday, and
during our stay visit many places of
interest that we will not take the time
to describe. We are delighted with
the city, and wouldn't mind, if our
purses were not SO lean, staying here
month or so, but our time as we'll as
our resources are limited, and we must
hasten on to Lucerne. At 12 NJ. we
are aboard the train and on our way,
and at 80 we arrive at the principle
summer resort in Switzerland. We
retire early for We have long trip
planned for the morrow. Tuesday
morning is dark and rainy, bad for
sightseeing in country like this, but
we must make Nhe best of it, so we are
soon on the streets to see the city.
We first inquire the way to the Lion,
one of the chief attractions of Lu-
cerne. 1t is gigantic affair, Is by %
feet, carved out OF the solid rock in
commemoration Of 26 officers and 7GO
soldiers who fell fighting in defense Of
the Royal Family Of France. The
Lion is represented as wounded, and
defending the shield in death.
The rain ceases, and at 9 p. NJ. We
take a steamboat ride over the lakes TO
Fluelen stopping at several places up
on our way. We walk back from Flue-
len to Fell's Chapel over the celebrated
, Il 4l.o A 4 Al 1