The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-09-27
FETE DIES

FETE DIES ViONERONS.
How the Famons swis. Festival in Honor
of the Henthen Gods Was Celebrated.
From the Chicago Times.
The world-renowned fete DIES Vigncrons,
for which the people of Vevey, Switzer-
land, have been preparing so long, has at
last taken place and Vevey, immortalized
by Rousseau, Victor Hugo, and many
others, looked like medieval picture with
it's tasteful decorations. Every house was
covered with flags and Garlands of ever
green and roses hung from window To
window, while the white cross OF Switzer-
and the brilliant combinations of coiors
representing the cantons were seen In
every direction.
Tradition tells ms that this festival de-
sccndcd from the Greeks and was intro.
ducesl into Hclvetia by the Romans.
However. n fire destroyed the archives of
the brotherhood i'm 1858, SO that nothing
definite il known before that date. The
most likely origin, however, In ascribed to
the Benedictine monks OF Haut-Cret, who
introduced vine culture i'm 114O ON the ia
nous "sidcs'' of Desaley. Those who i'm
spected the vines every autumn at last
formed themselves into n "Confrerie DIES
ViRnerons," celebrating their annual ex-
animation with songs and dances, after
which was "a banquet. IL any vigncron
or vine dresser was found to have neg
lected his work his grounds and vines
were confiscated to the society. Little by
little this fete grew less pastoral until il
attained to the magnificent performance
which has just taken place.
Never has this garden spot Of Switzer.
land been SO crowded. The trains and
and more until il seemed as though there
was not another place to sleep. in. Over
1OO,OOO persons visited yevey during the
every night. Monday morning. the 9Th
inst, the fete was to have commenced mt
O'clock, but early i'm the morning a
ed until Q, and the fete was postponed UNI
I'll s:ao; then it, poured in tor
selves, and the triunphal arches which
SPAWNED every available corner seemed
arS"s deal "f conSnsInn.n a. peon S ~s srs al z
ready I'm their seats long before daylight.
and there was a general inclination to put
in case of either sun or rain, consequently
lively discussions took place between POI
lice and spectators: Ats:sO the sun made
imposing of grandeur. Imagine a grand
stand In the form of an arena,
with row above row Of galleries reach
surrounding the market-piacc, and
holding 100 people, not countingthe inn
memse nu;nhsrs d" the roofs OF the neigh
were three triumphal arches
erected to the three ~reigning deitics. The
.i"ss OF spring. IL was beautifully deco
rated with spring flowers, flags, etc. The
one to the right belonged to Ceres, and
wheat and poppics, while the one belong
ing To Bacchus was i'm the center and
covered with grapes and green. AT Ia
On the stroke Of 9:3O, amids the chimes
Of ST. Martin and booming a |
entered the arena, each group
playing a march. There was loud APP
plause when the Swiss guards entered the
ring i'm their picturesque and brilliant
''Salut n Ia Patrie," with the ancient flag
held low. Then came IA discourse by the
abb a. president. Al the hycShern1Gh ws ere
vignerons wore green coats and straw hats
with punches of y In thc meantime
were the attendants of Palcs i'm
Grecian costume of light blue, white, and
silver, then has high priest i'm his flowing
after him came Palcs ON her mag
nificcnt chariot drawn by white oxen, and
followed by sheparSls and shcphcrdcsses,
reapers, h~aynakers, herismen
leading their COWS, etc. AT the same time, |
the other side entered the attendants of
Ceres i'm red. white and gold. followed by
her chariot, followed by groups OF reancrs.
cleaners, threshcrs, nders etc. Through
thc central arch came the of
his high priest i'm robes of red. green, and
white covered with gold, atld he ON his
astridc "a barrel and holding a
UP vi ttts ~ "as ~ w ~ tht
drcs~crs, barrcl-makcrs satyrs, fauns and
bacchantes. The costumes were of "a sur
prising richness and very magnificent.
After all were i'm their places the CROWN
of the two successful viEnerous took
place, while about 90 others received
medals.
First Palcs was drawn to- the center of
arena and there her high priest M.
tenor of the grand opera at Ge-
neva,l sang am invocation, while the bear
of the sacrifices, which consisted of
roses, laid them at her feet. Then came
the dances of the followers. after which
Ceres was drawn forward and the ceremo-
mics were repeated before her, her sacri-
fices being sheaves, poppics. and bee-
hives. Last came Bacchus. The offerings
20 him were grapes. The high priest of
Bacchus was unprecedented by NJ. Dauphin
of the grand opera of Geneva, while NJ.
took the part of hiG priest to
Ceres. |
A flavor of NEUROLOGICAL mystery was
noticeable throughout which gave one an
dea how the gods and goddesses were
honorcd i'm days gone by.
All the different industries were repre-
by song and dance. Among the
p~rctticst were the shepherds and shep-
lerriesses' dance and the wild and grace
'ul b~accianalc of the fauns and bacchau-