The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-09

day of festive celebration. 1t is the time
for the start of the herds for the noun
tains and they make OF ii gay and :
joyous a Time possible.
The customs and ceremonies OF these :
spring festivals vary in different cantons
In one village the herd procession may
he headed by massive bull. on whose
horns milk rests a crown, his
head being ais" deckcd with flowers
Hanging from his. dcw-lappcd neck is the
best bell deep in tone and very mclodi-
Following him. with stately stride
comes the queen mother of the herd sim
Harry decorated with flowers. Every cow
has bell and their constant tinklng fur
nishes one of the characteristic features of
the Alps. that fingers in the memories Of
visitors long after.
y COW that loses her bell becomes per-
fcctly miserable. she is not happy until
she is adorned with another In the mean
While she will go off her feed and of
course her milk yield is affectcd-a very
serious matter. So the hcrdsmcn are care
iu' to see that every COW is provided with
her bell. The cows seem 10 get endowment
out of the tones of their bells. They are
also. it is evident. influenced by the must
cal voices of the mixers, especially the
maids. who, while milking, raise their
voices in alpine song Their sweet voices
soothe the senses Of the susceptible kline
inducing them 10 yield their milk moro
freely. and in fact the cows that are most
swcetly sung do actually improve in their
daily milk yields. Hence a sweet singing
maid is in prime request.
After the rather long winter. the cows
are friSky, and eager to scent the fresh
pastures. They will push forward. smiling
the air with delight. 1t is during these
early periods of the start that any rival
ries that may exist among the cows are
developed and adjusted by actual battles
which however. are soon decided. After
that every member Of the herd knows her
place and there is no more trouble, except
perhaps. a poke occasionally given by
older matron to younger, who might
have been encroaching upon her grazing
rights
All the time the joyous calls and cries
of the herdsmen keep the cattle together
The well made paths lead in Zig gag asho
through the lower woods. across a clcarn
closing, maybe familiar chalet The br.
and heechcs are left behind their place
taken by the ever hardy pines. at first thi,
close. but as the higher sections are reached
gradually thin out and become scattering.
The air increases in kcenncss and is
tonic. The first sight of the alp pasture Is
by joyous shouts and mcllowcd cries, and tn
even add their deep tones To- the chorus.
push on eager to crop the juicy grasses.
upland meadows smell sweet. for the rich
blooms are already spreading their aromas.
High upon the upland of such Swiss ca
amid scenes of marvellous beauty where
capped peaks crown the meadows and the
mountain slopes rcsound to the summers
of song, amid gorgeous sunsets and daHZln
rises, the summer hcrtlins. and the dairying
milk from these finest OF Swiss kline, and tho
ing of the famous cheese, goes on. Into III,
duStrieS is woven many romanCc-of alpil
The singing voices of the dairy maids mingl
the yodcling and the alpine horn blowing
herdsmen for in these realms OF modern
the herdsmon's song, the RAM dies Nachcs
derby. sympathctcally cmbodics the Swiss +
life and expresses that uneXtinG Unstable /
homeland that has made many a wanderii
long to return, 10 regain the treasure trove
beloved alp.