The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1896-02-13
SWITZERLAND.
The Land Of the Alps as 1t Appeared
to the Eyes of an American.

to the Eyes of an American.
Written for the REPUBLICAN by Mrs.
Caddie Albrittain.
We left London at IL o'clock in
the morning from Ilolborn station
reached Dover in the afternoon.
The English Channel, that bette more
of all travellers, smiled and sparkled
in the sunlight as if no mischief
lurked beneath its placid waters &.
When we reached Calais the scene
changed. Here the porters clam.
ored vo~ciferously, but not knowing
the form ~.langwudge We hung Oh
to our small luggage with inward
fears. We took dinner at Z o'clock
at a small French village. Quite an
amusing thing occurred here.
Among other edibles were green al
monds. Being green ourselves We
only looked at but did not touch the
unknown fruit. An American, how
ever, brought oDe of the green
things away and showed it to us as a
souvenir. Well, we concluded there
were souvenirs and souvenirs. We
reached Grindenwald, our destina.
ton, the next afternoon at 3 o'clock.
Oh. the sublimity Of the Alps. How
cur souls responded to the subtle in
tluences Of our surroundings.
No wonder Byron, Symonds and a
host of others received inspiration
from these lofty mountains.
We reached our hotel, the Eiger,
trayoI>stained and weary. After
making a toilet we came down stairs
refreshed. The air, pure and redo
lent, with the oder of countless flow.
ers, was like an elixer of life. Be.
fore dinner we took II short walk,
Oh! what a charming little village
G~rindenwald is. Switzerland has
been truly called 1.-THE playground
of Europe" lis here we have al
ever varying scene that constantly
charms us. The majestic mountain
the tlower.strewn valley, the rushing
mountain torrent, and the strangel,
silent glacier cleaning icily white il
the sunlight. We love and rever,
the sturdy mountaineer, too prouC
to beg, but not too idle to work,
Even the children have an air 0
thrift and intelligence about them
And as we greeted them in German
their happy faces lighted up with
pleasant smile and our "GuteI
Morghen was always returne,
in Il respectful manner. w
retired early. 1t would be base in
gratitude did we not say a wor
about our rooms. The floors wer
bare and scrubbed as clean as only
German girl can scrub them. Tn
beds we're as white as the snow 0
the highest alp. Our light was prin
tive, being a candle. The col
mountain air made the upper eide
J down bed a positive luxury. Afte
Il dreamless nights repose We awok
to wonder where We were. Lookin
from the window we feasted our ey,
on the snow.clad mountains, and {
we drank in the pure air we sighe
sighed 10 think of my dear frient
beyond the broad, blue Atlanti,
The continental breakfast was a no
0 city to our American e~picurean tast'
"A cup of cafe au lait," fresh rol
e and delicious honey. And yet, wht
through, one felt as if they had fare
su%mptuously. A party Of us start'
to Lanterbrnnner, driving throul
the lovely mountain ways, aad feas
y ing u eyes on the grandeur arouI
o us. we felt that silence "a golde
o In tits village we saw the Stubba'
9 Falls, which Byron beautifully q
% scribed as : neither mist nor wat,
!. but something between BOTH" Eve
h day new beauties were revealed
'r our wondering eyes. The view fro
% the Wengern Alp was grand; he
we stand in the very shadow Of t
jung Frau, SO named from its puri