The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-07-09
THE STORY OF WILLIAM TELL,
BILL ARP ON THE SWISS.

The Iconoc1asts Are Tearing
). Down the Idols of the Peo-
pie.
Atlanta Constitution.
i How the old people cling to the
stories and traditions that charmed
their childhood. Good old Mother
Akin came to see me and to comfort
me in my sickness. She has had her
share of trouble, but is always bright
and cheerful and brings sunshine with
her. Somehow the story of William
Tell came up, and when / remarked
that it was now generally set down
among the critics as myth or pretty
fable she said "she would not read any
such heurtless scandals nor did she be.
lieve them. The world is full of these
iconoclasts who would break up every
idol that we have worshiped. The
story of William Tell is one that is fit
to be believed and handed down from
generation to generation. Voltaire
started that fable theory because he
did not like the Swiss. Many books
have been written on both sides, but
the old family traditions that have
come down to us for 600 years are still
as much the faith of the Swiss people
as Is their religion. William Tell is as
much today their national hero and
the founder Of their republic as Wash
ington is of ours and the little chapel
on the lake where he was drowned is
still preserved to commemorate him.
Well, whether it is fact or fable
it IS one of the prettiest stories ever
tpli and ought tc be repeated TO the
children of every household. 1t was
IN the fourteenth century when Austria
had over-ridden and conquered Swltzer.
land and had stationed her tyrant
bailiffs in every canton to subdue and
humble the people, that one Gesaler
placed the ducal cap upon pole in the
public place and ordered every one
who passed to uncover his head and
bow to it. Tell refused and was seized
and condemned to death, but as he
was known to be the best bowman in
Switzerland he was offered the alterna-
tive OF shooting an apple from his sons
head. The boy was his idol and he
begged for some other alternative, but
Gessler refused. Sixty yards was
measured off, the boy stationed and
the apple placed.
Gessler and his cohorts looked on
while Tell bowed his knees and then
let fly the arrow and pierced the apple
in its center. The boy ran to his father
and leaped into his arms, and another
arrow that had been concealed fell upon
the ground. "What was that arrow
fol 2" said Gessier. To shoot YOU.
you brute, had / slain my son." For
that he was condemned TO prison and
Gessler took him in boat on the lake,
but violent storm came up and Tell
| was unclaimed to steer the boat. He
made for the shore, leaped to rock
and with pole showed the boat back
into the stormy waters. Hurrying
along the lake he procured bow and
arrows from countryman and shot
Gessler as the boat passed. "Tell's
Leap and "Tell's Rock " are still
known to every child in Switzerland.
Later on he lost his life while saving q
lad from drowning.
| What is unreasonable about this
story2 We had Gessler in Rome at
the close of the civil war. His name
was de la Mesa, Spaniard who came
over to fight for pay. He did not hoist
the ducal cap, but he stretched the flag
over the sidewalk and our female Tells
(some of whom are living YETI would
not walk under it., but crossed over to
the other side. Then he stretched
another across the whole street and
they walked around the block. 1t was
not 80 much of disrespect to the flag as
it was contempt for the foreigner who
unfurled 1t. He refused 20 let Our
wives and daughters receive or mail
letters unless they came before him
and took an ironclad oath of allegiance.
He had ten of our young men and
several young ladies arrested for acting
in tsbleau to raised little money to
| replace pews in the churches. The
, pews had all been taken out and made
into troughs to feed their horses in
He was forewarned that night by q
, negro that If he didn't release those
, girls he would be killed before morn
, ing, and he would have been. Yes
. Leopard Spots" were all around jus
as they were in North Carolina. W.
3 had Gesslers and we had Tells, too.
But was Illuminating about Switzer
, land, that historical and wonderful
country. Now, children and younl
i people, llsten. 1t is only little scral
v of q country about one-fourth the siz
: of Georgia, and nearly half of that !
9 taken up by lakes and mountains. TIL
/. most beautiful lakes in the world. LAX
9 Lucerne CHATS Tell's); Lake Genev
): CHATS Calvin's); Lakes Wenner an
vi Wetter---and just think of the gran
i. old mountains 1.-The Alps and the Jur
9 and the Jungfrau. Think of the hoi
q pice of the good st. Bernard, wher
d they kept that fine breed Of dogs VIII
were trained TO 60 out In the most fea
r. full snow storms IN search of lost trave
o. ers and carry food and wine to then
Q land bring them safely to the hospic