Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1907-07-15

with her husband G,Aeral A. ]. Samp-
son has received most interesting
letter from her, desf kptive of Lucerne
and vicinity. accoun by travellers as
about the most & L5htful place on
earth. The Repus an is permitted
90 reproduce the le. which follows:
Lucerne. Switzet u I'd. June 90. 1907.
NV Dear Friend:
In accordance W my promise to
write you of one y e. At least. dur
ing our absence, HI! chosen to do so
from here.
Among the many places which are
recognized by travellers in Europe to
be worth more than a passing notice
is Lucerne. Situated in the very heart
Of Switzerland. within easy reach OF
an that is most grand in the scenery
u the Alps. it is only natural that she
draws TO herself those to whom ma
ture tells her secrets and unfolds her
wonders again and again. Previous
ro 135 AID. there We're scattered along
the banks OF the river Reuss a few
fiShermen's huts. This river has its
rise in the Gothard. flows down to
Flueen. where il is lost in the Lake
Of the Four Cantons. and reappears
sixteen miles below. at what is now
known as Lucerne. Those were the
days when men saw in nature. as here
found manifestations that filled them
with awe and fear. rather than with
delight and admiration, and thus it
was that these fishermen of the Reuss
we're men of physical ard mental
strength, able to cope with difficulties
and endure hardships. Sometime dur
ing the year 735. some monks. passing
through the canton. found this little
settlement and a magnificent country.
Their visit resulted in the founding Of
the Convent of ST. Leodirgar." This
name was soon shortened to Ludgar.
and by further corruption to Lu-
cerne. by which name. both town and
lake have since been known.
The little hamlet gradually grew in
size and Importance until il controlled
the trade of the lake. which being
twenty-three miles long. and also bord-
ering on four cantons soon become val
liable. When. in 1882. the burghers Of
the interior cantons concluded the al
lance from which the Swiss republic
sprung some years later. Lucerne
joined them and until 1S4S was one
OF the seats of the Federal Diet" She
also bore an honorable part in the
wars for Swiss independence. and
when the country had no longer need
To defend herself from foreign powers,
SO fond had these sturdy men become
Of wariike pursuits that many enlist
ed under the banners of other nations
Before the revolution. the kings of
France maintained a guard of honor,
composed Of Swiss yeomen. The du-
ties of this guard were onerous and
until the year 1892 they had seen lit
tie active service. In August of that
year, when the Jacobins stormed the
Tuilleries they defended the palace
and after a desperate fight. two bat
taliOns were destroyed. and on the
second and third of September the re-
mainder fell. This struggle and de-
feat gave to the Swiss and to the
world the monument. after a model by
Thorwaldsen. that has had the ad-
mir4tion of all who have seen 1t. dur
ing nearly one hundred years. and will
have. of all who shall see il, for cen
turtles to come The present city of
Lucerne has a population of about
fifty-six thousand. 1t is modern
in appearance. save for few quaint
houses in the old part, and as whole,
il is the cleanest. most orderly and
attractive place we have visited. No
postal card boys follow us pressing for
trade and better still. heggars are I'M