Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-19
TEXAS GIRL ABROAD
The Peculiar Freedom Prevailing
in Swiss Town Explained
Berne, the Quaintest Capital In the
World, Neither Brilliant nor Hand
some, but Impressive.
Interesting Points of Travel Gathered by Lazy
Tourist, Beneficial to Those contem-
plating Journey
Special Correspondence Of the Gazette
uLppY SUTHERLAND.

pecQllaT JOY Euu lIccuOHA "'SA- "
walk the streets OF Swiss town. Ihen
II came like a flash-there are no soldiers
loung!ng around and staring while we
walk of the sidewalks TO get past them!
Harry Switzerland! 1t has no standing
army. All Swiss men are obliged to
assemble for military drill two or three
months out of the year, and then they
90 back to their herds and farms.
Surely Berne is the quaintest capital in
me world! 1t is neither brilliant nor
handsome. but it impresses US with far
more subtle charm, charm that even
many ancient and interesting towns do
not possess; it Is romantic. We have
never read a story about Berne, but we
Ieel
THE AIR FULL OF ROMANCE
IN solution. In the first place its situa-
lion on this high, narrow tongue OF land,
around which the green Aare sweeps u
hundred feet below. necessitates many
bridges; and what adds more charm to
place than bridges? These are OF all
heights and lengths, according to their
ages, the most ancient being close down
10 the river, while the newest bridges
leap across the whole valley, from the
height of the town TO the height or the
orDosite bank. The city is oil crowded
on that tongue of land, on two
sides OF which the houses come tumb-
Hug down the high, steep bank to
the rivers edge IN a queer tumble
Of high pointed, Medieval roofs. On
the opposite bank, around the loop Of the
river, are only villas, parks and prone
nades, shaded by great elm trees, where
one goes TO look at Berne and reflect
upon its exceeding pictrresqueness.
The favOrite point of view on this OPP
posite bank is garden called the
Schanzu, which looks down into the deep
green valley, where the clear river flows
between
ROWS OF SLENDER PoPLARs;
over Berue, whose roofs eliminate IN the
heavy tower of the cathedral; over green
hills and fields and woods beyond. to
and this is the chief glory of Berue-the
whole grand chain OF the Bernese Ober-
land, stretching half way across the hori-
2on in peak after peak of that dazzling
whiteness, never to be mistaken for
clouds. We have seen that view but
once since we have been here, owing to
the hot August haze; but the knowledge
that it is there, that from
afar the company of snow-robed
E9Snts stand looking upon Berne,
seems to dignity the whole place, and is
like & halo TO the town. When visible
at all the mountains are not ouly to be
seen from the SchanZli, but from many
tree planted terraces in the city, which
are built up from the river on the south
side of the town, like massive fortitica-
tions. There Is q strange fascination in
looking from the midst of warmth and
fertility TO that land of cold and solemn
heights, rising in peaks l3, 600 and A.
900 feet above sea level! 1t is easy to
understand the wondering awe that wove
strange legends about these desOlate re-
gionS IN olden times, and made the snow
mountains objeoTs more of
MYSTERY AND FEAR THAN OF ADMIRATION.
However, the situation of Berne is not
its only unique charm. We enjoy the
sidewalks almost more than the Schanzli
and the terraces. The streets are ar
cad cd, but not in the high ana elegant
fashion OF Bologna; the arches roofing
over these sidewalks are heavy and low,
and they rest, not on handsome pillars,
but on great solid legs OF masonry that
straddle out into the street. These
supports are really combinations of the
house wall above strengthened by heavy
buttresses. 1t gives Il curious effect TO
the street, as if the houses were putting
their best legs forward preparatory TO
meeting each other in the middle OF the
way. Serious and stolid old houses they
are, capable of deiying time and decay.
! can Imagine nothing less than full
sized earthquake disturbing their equa-
nimty. The windows have low iron
ballustrades IN front of them, and the
window lodges are covered with red
cushions IN all four stories, up and down
the streets. These lodges are formed by
the thickness of the wall and make the
PLEAsANTEsT SEATS IMAGINABLE.
But to return to the sidewalks; they
are i!s.e long, low corridors, with wide
ope nings on this street; so long is the
vista, that IN the distance the roof seems
10 meet the pavement. They are all
gay with displays of merchandise, but
what to us Is the most fascinating feat
ure, is tho number OF wooden settles
that are placed In the open arches cross
wise of the sidewalk, with their backs
against the masonry of the supporting
columns. The columns are SO wide at
tue base they are like partitions between
the arches. There are two
benches facing each other in every arch
and sometimes restaurant tables and
stalls Of goods as well. There is some
thing SO jolly and easy about sitting in
one OF those settles under the low, heavy
arch, watching the life of the street on
one side and that of the sidewalk on the
otherl The sheltering arches, the sur
rounding crockerY, and cakes, and
stockings, and shawls seem homely and
homelike, and remind US of innumera-
bic old-fashioned chimney corners turned
out of doors. They are just the places
for old inhabitants to sit and
HoB-NoB OVER THE PAST,
for the nurse and the children TO rest;
for the lover TO wait for his loved one to
pass. Berne seems like an old country
house-your grandmother house, say
built without the least regard 10 appear
anees, but full of comfort and quaint I'M
consciousness and the romance of reality.
Let us sit down on this corner bench
here by the clock tower. Right near bv,
In the middle of the long, straight, wide
street-this is the principal streets one
OF these curious old fountains that are
placed always in the middle of the street,
three or four blocks apart, all over the
city. They are not fountains in the or
binary sense, q display of water, but
fountains in the old meaning, a place TO
gel water. The life size figure of q bear