The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-10-01
SWITZERLAND

At so P. M. we board the railway
train at Strasbourg bound for the AL
pine hills of Switzerland. Our journey
up through the valley of the Rhine for
a few hours was interesting and enjoy
Fable, but our longing to wind around
the snow-capped noun tains made the
extended plain, though beautiful with
a golden harvest. tame and monoto-
nous, But soon after P. NJ. we notice
that the railway curves more frequent
ly and our locomotive breathes little
stronger, which is evidence to a wheel
man 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
on we fly until the tunnels mouth
seems but Pickering lamp behind us.
The light of day breaks in upon the
darkness, the curtain rises, and Switz-
erland in all it's beauty is before us
like picture. We reach Berne, the
capital, at $50, find hotel and re.
tire. We rise early, for we wish to see
all the city possible before leaving at
O:2s. ) The Bear City, as it is some
times called, to a Yankee is indeed
quite, a novelty. The peculiar shaped
houses, with their extended roofs and
odd chimneys, the arcades that run
the entire length of the streets, the |
bears on the monuments, in the shop
windows and in almost every conceiv- |
able place where Switzer can display |
his carving. The costumes peculiar to |
this people assure us that the countless
pictures we have seen and the stories |
we have read are not all myths, if the |
story of Tell does seem unreason-
able. 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 Laus.
anne, 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 SEEM
ed like gigantic pillars supporting
another world, and as we draw nearer |
they grow higher and higher until we |
seem of no more Importance than |
grains Of sand, and if there is spot |
in the world where man feels his |
littleness it is in the presence of these
mountains. Our train speeds on and |
we enter the last tunnel before reach
ing Lausanne, and it is so dark we can
almost feel it, only for moment, for
our train is now upon down grade |
and we sweep along the mountain side
like the wind, and as the bright noon
day sun breaks in again a picture, if
possible, more beautiful than any we
have yet seen is before us.
Lake Geneva, with its bright blue
waters, is several hundred feet below
us, and the mountain sides and valleys
beyond 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. It 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 a 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 a 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 a month or SO.
but our time as well as our resources
are limited, and we must hasten on to
Lucerne. At - M. we are aboard the |
train and on our way, and at s 80 we
arrive at the principal 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 a !
country like this, but we must make
the best of it, so we are soon on the
streets to see the city. We first in