Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-02-21
FINE SCENERY AND CAD COLDS.
4 FEATURE or THE GLACIERS AT
aRrNpELwALD THAT THE GUIDE
BOOKS OMIT.


The New York Sun says; Europe IL
full Of all sorts of devices for endanger-.
Ing and undermining the health OF
travellers. The big buildings, churches,
palaces, and the like, where the huge In
closure keeps the. temperature OF the air
at the same cool level all the year round,
have caused sickness and deaths with
out number. For travellers coming Into
them from the heat of the summer day
without do not think that this agreeable
GOODNESS means sudden and unhealth-
ful reduction Of the temperature OF the
body until q chill or q succession Of
sneezes tells them that the mischief IL
done.
But there IL one place which 10 re-
sponsible for more sickness than any
score Of large buildings. The glaciers
of Grindelwald, especially the large
upper glacier, 10 the danger-laden spot.
Nearly every one who goes to Switzer-
land, and that means nearly every one
who travels In Europe, goes to see the
glaciers at Grindelwald, although few,
Indeed do not regret having gone be-
cause the difficulties and dangers are
but slightly repaid by the rather dlsap-
| pointing scenic effects. And nearly all
who 60 carry away with them cold
which may pass away, and agsin may
make them llnger In bed at Interlaken to
curse the day they ventured to Grindel-
wald.
The glacier 10 AN hours walk or horse
back ride up steep and winding mount
ain road, narrowly shut In because OF
the encroachlng mountain farms on
either side. II you have gone horseback
they set you down alta mountain Inn
with little pavilion overlooking the
valley of the glacier, with Its vistas OF
perfect Swiss scenery. Then one goes
through a gate and walks down Wind
Ing road, arched with trees, crosses q
stony valley, through the midst Of which
PUSHES n clear, pure, lce-cold stream,
fresh from the base Of the glacier which
the summer sun Ia melting. The gla-
cler Il before you, chilling the air which
was of summer heat few yards away.
You must have walked down to 1t be-
chuse there Il no other way, and you
are therefore heated. You stand near
the glacier aud Instantly you are cool.
Perhaps you 20 into the Ice cavern, for
the wonderful colors Of the hewn Ice are
tempting. Ice water IL dripping upon
you and your feet are s0on soaked from
the wet boards underneath. You 60 out
and start away, and before you have
again reached the little gate near the
Inn you lind that you have the worst
cold you ever had In your life. IL you
are over susceptible you will have chills
and fever.
But 1t Is not necessary to 20 down to
the glacier. You may have heard OF
these perils. So you decide to view It
from afar. You sit In the little pavilion
with tho superb panorama before, above,
and beneath you, With the long, striated
back Of the serpent-llke glacier and the
stream gushing from Its Icy Jaws rs the
central point Of your landscape. You
order something to eat and bottle Of
wine, ana life seems to be an extraordi-
nsrily good thing. For all around you
10 summer, hot, Intense, luxuriant, while
above you and down In the valley there
10 winter, eternal winter Of snow and
Ice. But rs you cit enjoying, reyeling
even, blissfully unconscious Of danger,
you begin to feel an Icy chill, gentle
and pleasing at first, but gradually In
creasing until you look about for furs,
and then take to flight with a bad cold,
pushing surfsceward within you, as a
memento of the glaciers. or that huge
river of Ice blows wind that Is always
wintry, that Is felt In Its full intensity q
mile away through the heat Of the hot
test summer day. You may escape the
wiles of the score Of curio vendors urg-
Ing you to take away a carving or some
thing of that kind asa memento OF
Grindelwald's glaciers. Butthe chances
are that you will not escape the un-
pleasant, perhaps dangerous little me-
mento In the shape OF u cold which the
glacier will force upon you.