Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-09-28

A ways beautiful. Surely its peo-
pie have found the fountain of
perpetual youth, for nothing stales its
infinite variety. 1t is the country of
seasonal and perennial attractions,
possessing that rare thing that even
vandal men cannot destroy.
The peasants love their home and in
many instances preserve the delight
fully quaint customs which so greatly
charm the tourist. One would be mis-
taken to Judge these people as igno-
rant; the constitution of the country
enables them to obtain an insight into
general state affairs and great care
is taken in the education of the
young to broaden their knowl cge in
every direction Their intelligence,
therefore, strikes the visitor as re-
markable.
During the summer one is not
troubled with snow until one reaches
about eight thousand feet altitude. In
the winter snow is, however, as low
as 1000 or even 1000 feet. The white
line thus moves high or low according
to the season.
The pageantry of the season indeed
is nowhere else so crowded with de-
lightful surprises in which the people
move In sympathy. The peasants are
true to the nature that has mothered
them. In the spring the villages are
agog and abustle, holding picturesque
old-time festivals, preceding the start
of the herds to the mountain pastures.
| The matrons of the herds are provided
with melodious bells, globular in form,
but thin and light and differing in
size from twelve to two i-ches in di'
\ ameter They are as varied in pitch
as in size, and their tones mellow into
\ a gentle, harmonious effect without
| harshness.
The herders and the dairy maids
meet on the village green to enjoy a
day of song and dance. Preparations
are made for the summers round OF
! activity in the mountains. where, In
| spite of hard work an almost idyllic
experience is lived by the light-heart'
! ed peasants. The verdant and arc
matte pastures, amid these wonderful
scenic settings, provide vistas opening
on wide horizons of jagged peaks and
profound gorges clothed with the rar-
| est verdure The mountain herdsmen
| and their comedy companions of the
| churn are hardy and blooming, and
song and yodeling continually ease
and relieve the labors of the summer
when duties are arduous and results
imperative.
1t is a unique and inspiring sight to
witness the annual spring parade or
! procession starting for the mountain
! pastures The usual cooking and dairy
utensils have to be transported, for
! these migrants from the wales must
remain with their charges In the
mountains until the time of return in
the fall of the year. They occupy their
mountain huts, which are fitted suit
ably for themselves as well as for the
necessary dairying. AS soon as the
snow begins to disappear from the
lower pastures the herder marshals
! his herd and starts out. IN the fes-
tive procession the bull leads. On his
horns are placed a milk stool. and on
! his head a chaplet of flowers. He
bears, hanging from his neck, the
| deep-toned bell. These melodious
b rs are made of alloyed silver. From
/ their tones have originated the imita.
! tive yodeling or warbling Of the herd
era sudden changing from the fall
/ setto to the chest voice, and vice
/ versa. Following the monarch of the
! herd comes the queen of the kline,
| gayly decorated and wearing the best
! bell OF the cows. Every COW has her
/ bell. and SO accustomed are they to
/ them that losing them is a disaster,
/ even causing loss of the "cud" The
/ kline know their places At the start
/ the strongest and best assert their
! precedence. They will battle among
| themselves for the right of way,
which, once settled. all is peace. The
bell-cow leads in the search for pas
lures new and she brooks no interior
ence.
The mountaineer's response TO the
sound of the herder's joyous yodel is
the "alpenhorn," a long horn, the eff
feet of which must be heard in the
Alps to be appreciated. The noun
tains echo il with Infinite sweetness,
and the effect is tender and thrilling
The farther the distance from which
its tones are heard the more fiute-like
seems its answer--powerful. mellow
Strong and sweet, # fills the valley,
while the echoes are flung weirdly and
strangely from the mountain ram
parts In the former times. when the
sturdy Schweitzer often had to leave
his herds and repel an intruding force.
the alpenhorn was the means Of sum-
moning him TO arms. Even now he
melody has a haunting sound
seems to speak Of martial deeds. "N-
wonder the sound Of the aipenhorn
was forbidden during the days when
the Swiss served as mercenaries to
France and Italy and other countries"
says a writer. Its sound would
cause hundreds Of otherwise faithful
soldiers TO desert for their Alps. And
the songs with which Alpine herders
call their companions from Hill 20 hill
and from crag to Graf re Of the same
nature"
There Is a very practical relation
sip between good singing and good
dairying. and this was proved at q