The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-22

over the republic They live In little
villnses; a few small pine houses, gen.
orally uentherLenten and blackened by
snow and rain and wind and sun; these
are huddled close .dgether on the noun.
tain sides as II 10 warn each other
against the nerco winds which blow
across the valleys and around the hills.
Most Of their roofs are covered With
great fiat stones to protect the rude
shingles and roofs from tho winter
gales.
q, COMMONS.
Close BY are the bnrns where tho
cattle and hay are kept during the
winter months. Hero the Swiss live
many Of their roads impossible and keep
most Of her people pent UP IN their 1T
tie towns. When the spring time comes.
they gather to- gether their cattle, goa ts
and horses and drive them off toward
the tops OF the high mountains TO feed.
A few men go with these herds. and
clear up almost to the tops OF the noun
tsins can be found the little k,ts used by
these herders In thcs summer season.
Here they milk their cows and goats
and make their cheese during the sum-
mer months, never returning again to
the valleys until the cold winds OF nu.
tumn announce the coming OF the long
winter once again. These pastures are
common grounds; they are owned by all
tho people OF the canton, each having
an equal right to use them during tho
summer months It took long years
OF fighting and many bloody battles In
these wild places for the Swiss people
to save these mountain pastures from
the group Of greedy landlords who, OF
course. supposed that the Lord made
the Alps for them. But at great pains
and suffering they have kept the land.
and the Swiss farmer prefers to pasture
these mountain sides than to go to
America and rent the land from some
one who claims a toll for the right to
let another till the earth.
In the la summer and the early fall.
these farmers go into the mountains TO
cut the grass for the winter months.
Whole families go together up toward
the tops OF these mountains to these
common lands, and stay for weeks to-
gether In their little huts, to make their
hay. So saving are they OF their pre-
cious fodder that they take up
great sheets and blankets to I'LL them
with hay, and then slowly and palm
fully bring It down the noun tain side.
The hay is gathered almost up to the line
OF the snow and the glaciers at the top.
Hay GATHERING.
TO see these farmers gather hay is
pathetic sight to anyone who is cursed
with an Imagination Tho mountains at
this season OF the year literally swarm
with men and women and boys and girls.
who carry great loads Of hay upon their
lacks, carry It for many miles down
steep mountain Sides In some places.
after reaching road, they place It on
cheap hand wagon and drow It for
miles and miles down the mountain road.
Their chief effort here Is to hold back
the load to keep the wo gon with them
selves and their precious hay from be-
Ing thrown from the narrow way over
the precipiocs into the valley below.
But these farmers not only pasture
the mountains and gather hay for their
cattle. but they farm the scenery, too.
Upon the side OF mountain so steep
that an ordinary person could scarcely
walk, they really till the soil and raise
vcgetn blcs and grain. and with all their
toll and penury they seem to think
that It is worth while to live, and they
will not even move away.
3 In this work the women take part
equally with the men. In fact, all over
continental Europe there nre more wom-
en-. In the fields than men. This Is not
due entirely to the great standing arm
les, for Switzerland has no standing
army. and the regular armies Of Ger
many and France would not take SO
many men as to place all these women
In the fields 1t Is due to the fact that
the people Of continental Europe know
OF nc reason why women should not
work the same as men, Not only are
they In the fields. but In the shops and
stores. along the railroads.; In fact, In
al, Iorf of wnrlS , Ig
A political orator In America often
stirs his audience and makes what he
thinks an effective point for his party
by saying that he has seen women In Eu-
rope harnessed to carts with dogs. This.
may sound well to political audiences
not accustomed to the truth, but like
most oratory 1t Is simply trick OF
speech-in other w!rds lie All over
Europe market men and market ~onen.
as we'll as boys and girls. haul carts
OF vegetables and provisions In the
streets. Other traffic. too Is carried on
with carts. The European has learned to
under a cart to help haul load. But
still the story, sounds well and often
catches vote which the truth would
tunn away. Men and women may have
their own views about the European GUS
tom OF women working out OF doors. ~
rather the American custom OF their not
working out OF doors. For my part !
cannot regard the European way as un:
mixed evil. Women must sometime
learn that in any scheme that pretends
to give them living without work, they
are the greatest losers. as they must
then live on charity and take the po-
sition OF those who receive aims. II 1t
Is question OF where they work, then
the open air Is certainly the healthiest
and easiest place. All through Switzer-
land and continental Europe the women
are found in the hay fields large num-
bers OF people always together. seeming
to enjoy It almost as much as "pinK
tea" At least 1t looked so to me, Though
I never did any haylng. or for that nut
ter, any pink teas" thank God! The
fact that women work in the open air
In Europe does not seem to weaken or
degenerate the race. as European women
bear more children than American wom-
en-, and this must certainly be taken as
one great indication Of strength and
fitness,
THE TOWNS.
i