Telegram-herald., 1890-08-31

LoSDOS, Eng. August ia hot
August morning. with the sun beating
down upon the harvest fields OF the
upper Rhine valley. nnds US on our way
70 Lucerne- The nelds on every side
are flied with reapers ana cleaners and
the work 5 done Just as d was thou
sand years ago. The most improved
implement Tor cutting the grain IS ike
a short scythe with a blade about SIX
inches vide and twenty inches long,
and fastened to the heel Of the scytne
is a contrivsnce like a lawn tennis
racquet.
An old.fashioned American farmer
with MS big bowed cradle could cut as
much grain N two hours as these men
cut ia a day.
Then there are larger numbers of
reapers cutting with slckieS, and sturdy,
sUn-burned women gather up the grain
and bind Il into sheaves, while after
them come other women picking up the
stray stTaws and heads OF gram. The
grain Is all dead ripe, and II handled ~
the ordinary way. would shell dread
fully, but With these people there is no
danger of that-they are so deliberate.
The nelds are ike a crazy bed quilt.
Ia patch OF ten acres there Will some
tunes be two plats OF potatoes and two
or three each OF wheat and rye, besides
grass, peas and other crops that are
strange TO me.
Women seem to DO most of the work.
They plOw, NOW grass and do all man
ner OF hard labor and seem To out
number the men two 10 one. This IS
probably on account of the large num-
Der OF young men who are absorbed
into the German army. But enough
OF agriculture.
Arrived at Basle or Basel we met the
Swiss customs officers and find the cars
open Ike those IN America, with an
aisle through the center. instead OF
being constructed Ike q corridor in a
penitentiary. The railroads are the
best IN Europe, steel ties and rails, rock
ballast and on each side of the track IA
neatly paved stone gutter TO carry
away the water. The emhankments
are constructed with Y shaped water
ways down the sides and the earth is
secured from Washing away By fascincs
aud other strong wicker work imtIedded
into the soil 10 a depth OF , or feet.
A little way south of Base We plunge
into tunnel 4 mile and three quarters
IN length, and when We emerge, We are
IN a vast amphItheater, formed by the
Bsrnese alps about Often. Now for
miles and miles we wind in and out
among the smaller mountains and each
one passed dIsclOses greater heights
beyond. The smaller mountains are
clothed from base 20 summit with a
dense growth OF spruce and fir trees.
By and by the valley widenS and away
bevOnd we see n vista of grand noun
tains, with the eternal snow resting like
a crown upon their SUBMITS and huge
glaciers streaming down their rugged
shoulders Ike pendant of rare Jewels.
Soon the Wild and rugged submits of
Pilatus rise IN front of US. The legend
of the peak u. that II was the place of
exile 70 which P0ntius Plate was sent
after be became unpopular. Every
morning ne used TO go down to the
lake and wash MS hands and kick hin-
self, until one morning he became SO
disgussed with bimself that ne plunged
into the lake headforemOst. lie is
there yet.
Asa general thing very little Is said
about Lake Lucerne by travellers and
guide books, but a more beautiful
place can hardly De imagined. The
principal part Of the lake Is IN the form
OF Greek cross, aud 1t IS surrounded
on every SIDE by mgn mountains
The color of the water IS like that
of brilliant emerald, and
wonder that u is not the most
popular resort on earth for wealthy
IRISH people. Four of the Swiss can
tons center in this lake, and I imagine
that the design of the nstlOnsl iag-a
white cross on red field. was suggest
ed BY the form Of Lake Lucemc. The
city. with a population Of about loo.
is surrounded BY an ancient wall. and
from this rise many picturesque towers.
Everything s neat and clean about the
city. and the quays are very beautiful.
she whole lake front - surrounded by
hand some hotels. These stand back
from the water about 300 feet, and the
grounds are very pretty 20 look upon,
fountains and flowers IN delightful pro-
fusion In front of the SchweizerbOf,
the principal hotsi. are vast beds Of car
nations and gersniums. On one side Of
the entrance rises a. ObelIsk to a height
of about thirty feet. that at first ap-
pears % Be made up Of alternate blocks
of gray and CRIMSON stone. with n deii-
cate vine winding from base 70 summit.
bur when vou are nearer the whole
Cbeisx s made ND of bright foliage
plants. closely and smoothly trimmed
and every pisut fresh and healthy.
How they are kept 40 ls a mystery. Cu
tbe opposite s.de is a pyramid Of bril-
liant flowers. with elaborate floral sur.
raundiugs Switzerland deserves g. be
csilrd the land Of flowers, for e Ger.
aulv has the greatest variety that
have seen in any country. One
can lean 0ut of the car window and
gather a tcu1uet whenever passing
through a fefle OF along a mOu1tslr
s'ae. and that = about a. the time.
Along n front 81 the hotels stretches sn
arcade ef plane trees The trees are
cilt suuars ~ about fifteen feet from
tie ereund ami there are two long rows
about TWENTY-FIVE feet anart. TIE
branches ARR CLOSELY fnteriaced over
bead so tn3t t1e sun can not peep
through 8na the arcade exterds for
more thar mlie a.ong the water front
a rfare darghtf1I place for a n1oos-
0H neoule win sentimental 1nsh can
hartiy ~ Unsigned. You see the ehecs
even apcr ne.
As you stand uron ths qcsy and look
down rt0 the Gear depths 81 tae axe
vou see myrisds OF small dsh about tas