The Portland daily press., 1895-09-02

After the late destructive fire at Grin
delwald. they built many large hotels
and SO the objective point has largely
changed, and this has superseded Inter-
laken. Here there are two convenient
glaciers, and mountain climbing both
here and at Lauterbrunnen has been rem
dered safe and easy. In July and August
it is a common sight to see whole trains
given up to people with pickaxes and
mountain starbs and other pedestrian
equipments all of which seemato the
novice weird indeed.
When the sun does not shine at Lauter-
brunnen there is nothing there, but the
mist and bridal veil films of the Stau-
bach Falls. No sunshine, no views OF
mountains at Lauterbrunnen, Tor here
he clouds gather.like mantle and shut
out even the Jungfrau from your view.
Then it requires as great stretch OF tne
imagination to believe that behind these
clouds in brighter sunshine these shlm-
mering mountains keep their eternal
vigilance, as to acknowledge many OF the
divine truths which will hereafter be re-
vealed. The morning we left Lauterbrun'
nen not one glimpse of the Jungfrau was
visible, but three-quarters OF an hour
later that distant but more charming
view of it at Interlaken, with the sun
glistening on it's snowy bosom was
justified fulfillment of faith promises SO
hard to be believed.
After watching this glittering white
ness under the MONDAY sun, we took the
Brienz steamer for Meiringen back to the
Lake of Lucerne. Although that day was
casion to remember Virgil's old quotation
He labor hoe opus est. - For. IN TINS
region, perhaps because people take llttle
luggage, the usual quota of porters gave
out, and in the midst of a score OF
changes we were obliged to transport our
own hand luggage from place to place.
As Eve had already been through the
Lake of the -Four Cantons (Lucerne,) our
tickets were made out direct across from
Alpnach to Vitznard, the station for the
Rigi railroad But like all unusual
routes this was slow and difficult tnlng
to do. At Stanstad, lovely spot al the
end of the SSAlpnach See we got long
breathing spell such as travellers neea'
instead of seeing the sunset on the Rlgl.
From Stansstad there is an electric road
to Stanz, whele, in winter, SO dense Is
this mountain region, that the sun shlnes
only one hour In the day.. thence they
ascend the Stanzerhorn by rail- with views
as far reaching as aRigi or Pllatus. we
changed again at kelslten where Che
dusk of evening did we find ourselves at
the foot Of the Rigi, the last train stlll
waiting to take us to the top.
AS we went putting up the steep sides
of the mountain the sun was already lost
to sight, and the dusk of evening was
fast gathering over the lake and the
beautiful scenery below. The mountains
on the other side (which ALWAYS seem to
lower, grew dark and threatening, and as
the train went kissing and laborngsup,
the clouds grew thicker and their purple
edges below tringed with light, shut out
the horizon from our view :,
Ia dull damp fog came IN dlsagreeaple
chill peryaded the air as we rose into the
higher regions and rendered respiration
very difficult. AS we neared the summit
which is about the same as the highest
point of Mount Washington, breathing be-
came almost impossible, but as soon as
the hotel sheltered us all these dlthcultles
disappeared.
mountain tops are lords and kings, es-
necally if one arrives in the darkness on
the last train. He who ascends the
mountains for glimpse of the parting
sun or hopes to see it's rising glories must
pay the price.
THE SUNRISE.
Among the written directions posted
I'D in each chamber is the caution warn
ing people against using the bed clothing
as a morning wrap.
The night of our arrival we were in
formed that, although the kday had been
cloudy and the evening was coming in
more dense there was likely to be a ''sun-
rise'' and should hisgphenonmenon occur
the mountain horn would sound a half
an hour earlier After this conversation
we retired, dreaming of mountain views,
Of rising suns, of cloudy skies and general
disappointment. Out of these disagree
able Nightmares We were awakened at
half past three by echoes whlch h!leo
every mountain retreat. We arose I'M
mediately, making as hasty toilet as pos
sible, and almost fearing to go forth, as
we supposed alore, into the darkness OF
so early a dawn But as we looked ahead
cla1nbering up the cliff before us, seven
half clad men were seen, and one young
girl-carelessly hanging on the shoulders
of one of the men, like white wraglan,
was one of the hotel blankets. The young
girl, who had made wager with her
father. was thinly clad and while one foot
was bare the other twas thrust hinto
night sock. More people were ahead in
various costumes, and many more behind,
SO that when we reached the pavlllon IN
the air there was hardly standing room,
and the cold was like "a December morn
| ing. The mountain horn kept up the
call, while sundry men came stealing
along to collect the fees for sounding it.
At last the first faint light appeared,
and then slight tinge touched the sky
and looking westward each grand noun
tain was ledge of gold. The clouds then
parted, the sun appeared for moment
between like a ball of fire, in an instant
it was hid again, but as if this had been
a signal, each mountain telegraphed back
the sign in the glowing radiance OF each
spire and dome The Pingpan blushed and
the Matternhorn was like mound of
flowers. The rose tint deepened and the
whole panorama of mountains caught
the light and Illuminated the western
sky, each mountain chain becoming like
a crescent of rubes or a diadem of tinted
peaks, which rose against the sky like a
bridal wreath Of soft pink HUI e.
Aurora's bushes were the bushes of sthis
dawn, which made the world seem like @
fairyland, rainbow promise Who has
seen the sunrise on Rigi's cloudless
heights has seen radiance which few
are permitted to see, glory not like that
| of monarch's crown, but light like
| the soft opal set in gold.
| A. H. 6.