The Dickinson press., 1888-11-10
TIL: SWISS VINTAGE.
AIN OCTOBER DAY AMONG THE
VINEYARDS OF SWITZERLAND.
a rIcrry Party or for Il Notwithstanding,
the Grapes Ready for the Prcss-.i isit
Of Iun-Nicw of u Tincyard-Thr"e
S;rlIcS of Wine,

Grades of Wine.
y Swiss village, Il bright October morning
and II full wagon. We were all going tn
Monsieur P.'s vineyard, some miles distant.
Ii was he first day OF the vendangcs there
fore The first of Il three days holiday, uc-
cortling 10 the canton laws, when business is
abandoned and every one, grown people and
children. fall TO and pick grapes in their own
or their ncighbors vineyards.
y merry party ours, even sober Monsieur
p. looking almost iovial, for how could he
help with such Il lively crowd of boys and
girls all promising to work like beavers, and
such II day for the gathering.
Wagons bis and little, with many all
with few, we passed. Here Il whole family,
baby and ALL with tho mother clicking her
needles over the never forgotten stocking;
there Il small faction of two or three, but all
out on the Same intent. We passed many
acrcd vineyards and tiny slopes where all
alike were working, and finally We reached
Monsieur P.'s vineyard. And what Il vine
yard was this. There was none to excel it in
that part Of the country.
VIEW OF A VINEYARD.
Far back it stretched, covering tho slope in
even, well trimmed rows, tho hugo white
m,lsrat bearing down the vines with their
rich weight. y small, rude board house,
wherein We're stored all things pertaining to
the vintage, WAS open, aud there we put our
l,lncli baskets. y number of men We're pick
ing aud already great heaps Of the fruit We're
lying on tho ground and i'll barrels and
baskets.
We little folk began working with Il will,
each trying to uutlo the other i'll speed and
number of baskets filled. Ii was fun till VIZ
began to tire, then another part of the wurl;
claimed our al cntion. On the roadside l,y
the storchou7c they were crushing thegrapcs.
The branches We're thrown INTO hogshcal!s,
tho different varieties by themselves, and
then pounded with IL big wooden dasllcr till
the grapes were well bruised and thus madc
ready for the press. This was rare sport
and We began pounding with all our might, /,
sptshing the rich Jurc about, first in our
frantic efforts to show our skill, nnd then,
from very mischief, into each others face .
II, went the grapes, higher and higher rose
the juice, aud with it our spirits, till Jean.
mischievous boy, hit upon II delight
full plan. Searching, 10y the roadside,
hc found and cut II long stem ,t
l,l"v; joint",l grass, and, dipping it in the
nearly full barrel. began sucking up the
fragrant liquid. We wcrc not slow follow
ing his example, and how refreshing it was
10 our littlo thirsty throats. An innocent
beverage, surely, in its first unlermented
state.
".lh. that, the way you help, is i, = sa(
Monsieur T., coming along with Il fresh load
but lle laughed. so we knew it was all right.
n BIT OF SPORT.
Down Went my head for another sip, hui
AZ.
\ real of laughter from the children, /;
,nori;ins APOLOGY from mischievous jean
and emerged from the rosy liquid witt
dipping head and shoulders. 1t was too
funny not 10 laugh 50 wipns OH my face
joined in at my own expense.
"Oh, no! it did no harm,' said the vint
,el'S, ''only IL little American flavorin3; he
, ::,,c. ii would bc purilicH i'll the fcimcnti.
ton.
u Never was frugal meal of bread and cllccS
: eat2n .itil locucr apletites, ill sitting allou
i in truc picnic fashion An Lour; "noonin:,
= :'',aa allowed, then all fell vigorously to wor
q "gaill.
u There was much fora novice 10 learn Il,
i fore the day was over We knew that til
g crushed grapes Went through the Wine pre-.
!, not once only, buu twice and thrice, the las
pressing making i. thin, inferior WING, tit
II c.ct2t.ly soiir. Also th;i, the mout or mus!
= vixen only IL fcw hour,' old, was IL deliciou.
II sparkling beverage not unlike cider, and ais
y n most excellent plant fertilizer We foum
Is out, too, that nothing was wasted, and thu,
4 the dried skins and stems were pressed int
y cakes and used for fuel.
lt Poor indcc,; is the peasant throughout IL
q grape growing region who cannot boast {
: 1T least q strip of vineyard, hc it ever :
~ small. According To his wealth 50 is Ii
vineyard. Then the thing is to get tho fl'u
~ guthcr2cl for tho vintage as soon as possible
b for there IS always danger Of hall storm
which often lay waste acres Of vneyar'
causing great loss.
1t wa, Il tircd party that rode back TIL;
evening, but there was much that was d
u liShtfui To recount Of tho days cx.cricnc
/" i'll spite of nching backs and blistclcd hand
Evelyn Carol in Home journal.