The age-herald., 1899-09-27

perhaps, several lions which adorn the monuments one may see but none can compare with the lion of far grander pro- portions carven in the solid cliff that over hangs a deep embowered grotto in the out skirts of Lucerne. A broken spear has pierced that lions heart, but with dying grasp he holds inviolate the lily-bedecked escutcheon of the Bourbons, and the cross of Helvetia. It Is the famous work of Thorwaldsen, more majestic than any pie lures ever reveal, and perpetuates the re- membrance of the frightful destruction of the brave Swiss Guard of Marie Antoinette, who perished almost to a man in the de- fense of the Tuilleries at the outbreak of the French revolution. The conception of the work. together with its strange posi- tion is singularly grand and imposing, and makes a deep impression upon the be- holder.
 We were very fortunate during our en- tire stay in Switzerland to enjoy the most beautiful weather, when the surrounding mountains with their soft, beWitching Al- pine glow can be seen to such advantage. The terrors of mountain climbing in Switz- acland have long been harnessed to the powers of steam and so climbing is made easy on all their slopes In the late after noon we started on the swift little steamer across one arm of the Lake of the Four Cantous for Vitznau, where we took the eog-whee3ed railway up the Rigi-Kulm.
  magnificent was tae panoroma which sur rounded the observer that the time seemed only too short. There are several mag nifcent hotels on Mt. Rigi and most all tourists include a night spent on Mt Rgi in their itinerary. Many, in fact, come miles and miles just for this experience Of sunset and sunrise and then find only frowning clouds and mists which rum the view. So I said that we were fortunate in- decd to enjoy an absolutely perfect sunset and surise. The sight demands an effort though, that the weary tourist is 10th to make for, at few minute before o'clock bells are rung and every one is aroused from such sweet Elysian dreams away up in the cool sweet air of the snowy Alps.
 But not minute is to be lost, and some thing like 300 visitors run breathless and panting out into the inky night to behold the first faint flush of dawn. l could not even dare to describe the glory and majes- ty of it all; but somehow it is even more glorious than sunrise on our own Pikes Peak. There is much to beguile the tour ist in Lucerne, and it was hard to say goodbye.
 It is true that the noblest scenery is often eliminated when travelling by rail- way but not always; and in our days trav- el from Lucerne to Geneva by way of the Brunlg Pass I feel sure we had the ex- ception. We had another glorious day, and started on the days journey about o'clock
 
 way lay along the lovely blue lakes which are ever the delight of Swiss scenery, and how supremely beautiful they are-in all the loveliness that ambient air, and blue eyed water, and clustering, clambering V1l- las and vineyards can add to vale and hill. In quick succession we passed the many high peaks of the Alps, each named and rich in legend and folk-lcre. Then for many a slew mile of cog-wheel road we began to ascend the Brunig Pass, and over it's saddle and down again to Meiringen on the Aare. We toied and toed with two panting puffing engines to each of the three sections of the one train. As we as- cended the air grew cooler and more crisp, and we realized very readily that we were nearing the summits where the ice king holds full sway, for many of the peaks which surrounded us were covered with sncw, notwithstanding that it was August. The scene was majestic, and for about four hours we were simply enthralled. Away down the steep mountain side the smfhnS landscape was made winsome by the peace full, homely life of the peasant by wide ex- panse of lake embedded in the verdure like some precious jewel, or by the tiny thread of a swft-fowing stream which could be easily traced to the foot of the precipitous mountain near by, and then traced in gilt tering leaping waterfalls, upward still, to the very crest of the peak. where the snowy cap told the marvellous tale of its origin.
  love the haunts of man and the wondrous works of his hand, yet how sublime are these apostles of nature, whose sermons are avalanches
 We said to the passing hour: "Stay, for thou art fair!" But only too soon we be- gan our descent t'he other side of the pass. Pine forests stand dark and solemn at the base of the mountains. and often from the great perpendicular face of the mountain we could trace a clean path down which in days past great masses of ice from time to time break away and rush down,
 ''Whose blocks of sapphire seem to mortal
 eye
 Hewn from caerulean quarrles of the sky" At Brienz we took boat for a three hours ride of our journey on the lake of Brienz.
 I believe it was Jeffrfes who said: "If any imagine that they will find thought in