The Delta independent., 1907-03-29
Stephan's In Switzerland.

Stephan's In Switzerland.
The INDEPENDENT is privileged to
publish another interesting letter from
Mrs. Stephan. written to her father A.
w. Carr.
LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND,
March IA, 1907.
DEAR PAPA
We left the city of Milan at 2:3O and
arrived at Como. on the lake of Como,
an hour later. where we stayed until
the next morning. when we came on to
Lucerne. Como is a small place. amid
beautiful hills, and the lake is very
beautiful. But after our ride ycster-
day. can talk of nothing but the Swiss
lakes, and Lucerne. We came over the
St. Gothard pass and the scenery was
the most wildly picturesque we ever
saw. The Alps are magnificent. They
are more striking than the Rockies, be-
cause they rise SO abruptly, and are so
heavily wooded, and waterfalls and cas-
cades all along the route. There seems
to be no gradual ascent. but they tower
up. rugged and precipitous. their jagged
SUBMITS white as marble against the
blue sky. Then the beautiful lakes
among them. count yesterdays trip
as the most beautiful and grand ever
saw. We passed thru about 80 miles of
tunncl-the St. Gothard tunnel. just un-
der the pass. is 81. miles long. At Flu
ellen. we left the train and took small
steamer that was waiting. and came
the rest of the ways miles-by the
lake. CTravelers have choice of train
or steamer. the ticket being good on
either.) The lake is blue and still,
about 80 miles long and from to
wide. and winds around among the
mountains. which rise very percipitous-
ly from the waters edge. their sum-
mits white with snow and as far up the
lake rs one can look ere the wild white
mountains. We passed the Rigi (where
Mark Twain went to see the sunrise
but missed it by getting up in the even
ing at sunset.) There are numerous
little villages along the lake on the bits
of comparatively level ground. and up
on the sides of the mountains, or on the
SUBMITS Of the smaller ones. would be
big tourist hotels. reached in most cases
by cable railway straight up the
mountain. As these slopes have plenty
of timber. the effect was very pretty.
Lucerne is beautiful. and looks doubly
so to me after our long stay in Italy.
Our hotel faces the lake and is one of
the incest ones here. 1t is not 50 cold
as we expected to find it, altho there is
little snow on the ground and it
showed last night, but the air feels as
it does at home after snow in the late
spring. when the sun comes out bright
and warm. love such air and I really
enjoy the snow. l was never meant to
live in warm country. From where
| am sitting in the hotel writing room,
| can look out on the queerest old wood
en- foot bridge. 5 or hundred years old,
all covered over with a peaked roof. 1t
crosses a narrow arm Of the lake that
runs in front of the hotel. The waters
under it arc thronged with ducks and
yesterday ! saw some white swans
swimming there. too. About mid way
of the bridge rises an old stone tower.
octagon in shape, which must have
served once to guard the bridge. This
tower, and a bit Of the bridge. show in
the right foreground Of the picture on
the letter head. The big building with
the flag is our hotel.
have met with a severe disappoint-
mcnt in Lucerne. All my life have
wished to see the famous Lion of Lu-
ccrne" carved in the solid rock. in the
cliff by the lake. 1t is lion dying,
with broken spear in his side. and
under his paws are the lilies Of France,
which he is protecting even in death,
It was carved from Thorwalsden's de-
sign in memory Of the Swiss guards
who fell in the defense Of the King and
Queen of France, at the Turrielles. In
the beginning Of the French revolution.
Ever since mamma told mo about It,
when was a little girl on the ranch, |
have wished to see It, and looked for
ward to It 30 on this trip. When we