Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-21

7 ,
refused as we were well protected
with rain-coats. Then one, nothing
| daunted took pick axe and followed
| US into the cave. Things then took an
alarming aspect, and as we had been
| inside as far as we wished to go, l be-
gan to wonder how we were going to
get out of that trap. Our undcsired
guard said that he would open a
narrow way for US and we could go
still farther in that hall way Of ice.
Pretending to be pleased at the pros
pect, l told him to cut the ice away
and stood aside for him to pass, then
when he had started following out a
hole / told my mother to hurry with
out seeming to be running away. AZ
the entrance we brcathed a little frecr
for although that guide was sill upon
our heels, way down below | could see
the rest of our party waiting for us
Then we We're asked for some money
Although / knew that the ice-grotto
was free to all, yet there was nothing
| to be done but to assent. | had no
intention however Of pulling my purse
out before those ruffians, so | told the
one who had followed US so closely
that if he wished tip he would have
to wait until we rcjoincd our friends
and that man followed us way down
the mountain side, and seemed very
much perplexed when | gave him the
money myself, just before rejoinng
our friends. 1 wonder what would
have happened had we followed him
in the grotto as far as he wished us to
enter.
After that exciting scene we entered
Way-side cafe and had some refresh
lrg goats milk and some rolls Auntic
was calmly waiting for US when we
returned to the station and she was
not at all impatient as she had made
several acquaintance. Then began our
upward climb. The clogged engine
pulled up and up so high that our ears
began buZzing, and breathing became
difficult. The train stopped and there
we were way up on the Jungfrau. The
station was surrounded with snow,
and although the scenery was magnifi-
cent, we FASTENED shvering into the
hotel to sit by the stove and drink
some hot chocolate.
When we left the Jungfrau the clouds
had settled on her brow again. The
conductor brought around fur rugs,
and wrapped up in them. we sat in
those open observation cars and went
still upward until we had not only
ridden through the clouds, but We're
way above them. How strange it
seemed when the sun came out again
to look down and see the clouds at
our feet. Now for the first time we
saw the cattle which we had looked
for ever since we had entered Switz-
erland. The people do not pasture
their cattle in the low lands until Sep
TENDER, for if they did the flies would
50 annoy them that the tormented ami
mails would hurl themselves over the
preci pieces. Way I'D there on the
heights the shepherd tended his flock
in peace. ir d
AS we went down again into the
valley it seemed as if the train would
plunge hcadlong, SO vertical was the
descent, but the good little engine held
it's own. We saw many vegetables all
the way down, but as we were told
the Swiss do not need to export any
of them as the foreigners come in and
eat them all up. The houses on these
slopes had stones upon them to pre-
vent the roof from being blown off.
The mountain climbers were numerous
all the way along. We noticed one
couple specially. He had on thick
shoes with spikes, knicker- bockers of
stout material, coat, a pack which
was Slung over his back and q thick
cloak flung over this which made him
appear hunchcd- back. He carried an
| alpen-Stock with a ChamoiS horn han
die and wore a soft felt hat with a
twig of green stuck in it. She had
on thick shoes with spikes, q short
skirt, coat pack and cloak, an alpen-
stock and a plain hat. Such are the
| typical Swiss mountain climbers that
delight to spend their vacations toll
| ing up these rugged mountains.
| AS we were returning to Interlaken
we stopped at Lauterbrunen, famous
| for the Staubbach waterfalls. They
have a drop of one thousand feet and
they are so named because they van
| ish in mist for several hundred feet.
They are glorious, specially when the
sun is shining upon them but 1 will
let Goethe describe them for me.
I'm clouds of spray,
Like silver dust,
1t wells the rocks
In rainbow hues;
| And dancing down
| In music soft
| Is lost in air.
MABEL FRANCES KNIGHT.
Dieter No. XII Last Glimpses of
| cp1o nd