Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-10-10
Mingling With
The People
By REGINALD D. HAVEN

land. We had both been In Europe
several years studying languages and
were well equipped with both French
and German. So we concluded to
tramp about. mingling with the people.
and not give away the fact that we
were Americans. We went to Inter-
iaken by train and from there laid out
pedestrian tours
One of the first we made was to
the mountain to Schcidegg. There we
got good dinner. after which we
walked up u short distance to a point
where we could see the glacier. 1t
was very wi ID and magnificent and all
that. but seeing such sights Is net
what am going to tell yol about In
the afternoon we walked down the
" before we reached that place came
up with a couple of Swiss girls dressed
in the costume Of the country.
1t occurred to both Billy and me that
II we could walk the rest Of the way
with two pretty girls-no girl could be
homely In the Swiss cOstume-it would
be away ahead Of trudging alone by
our own uninteresting selves. As we
passed them | bowed very politely.
took or my cap and. pointing to a
mountain whose name I knew as we'll
as my own. asked in German-the ian.
guage mostly spoken in this part Of
Switzerland-what It was.
That's the Eiger." replied one Of the
girls.
! boldly expatiated on the beauty Of
the scenery. env1ed those who lived
always In the Alps. and a. soon a. l
ran out Of something to say Billy took
up the dialogue. The girls did not
seem averse to forming our acquaint-
ance. and 1t was not long before we
separated them. Billy walking beside
one. beside the other. We both pre-
tended to be Germans Of the lower
class. though not Swiss. got in az
| many nice things to my girl as could
think of, and she being to the country
born and unsophisticated I didn't hest
tate to lay 1t on thick. Every now and
again I could hear Billy. who was
walking with the other girl only a few
yards ahead Of me. doing the same
thing.
When We reached Lauterbrunnen
the girls bid US goodby. saying that
they lived in a chalet beyond the town.
We were near refreshment house
standing beside the road. and invit.
ed them to 60 up on to the porch for
cheese sandwich and glass Of the
beer they drink over there. which IL 20
dreadfully mild that 1t wouldn't intox-
icate a mouse. After a consultation
apart from US they said they wouldn't
mind being refreshed after q long
walk. and we all four went up on to
the porch. took table and called for
the beer and sandwiches.
Billy was talking glibly about our
life on the farm at home when one of
the girls said:
you are not farmer: neither IL he
You are both gentlemen"
l looked at Billy. and Billy looked
at me.
How did you find that out7" !
asked.
I'VE have so many tourists about US
all the time that we could tell their
nationality no matter what disguise
they might put on. You are not Ger
man either. Don't you suppose we
or an EnglishmanY'
what nationality are WEI" Billy
asked.
You wear French clothes, but you
are not French. You are either Eng
fish or American. think you are
American"
by Jove. Billy" exclaimed in the
plain American language. they're
smarter than ! thought they werev'
The girls were very much tickled
that they had been able to tell our ma
tionality. They asked us to teach
them little English. So told the
one had walked with to pronounce
the words II love you" She spoke
them. II lofe you." and asked me to
translate them into German. but there
was look In her eye that made me
suspect that she already had an idea
as to their meaning. told her they
meant "Thank you"
Meanwhile Billy was amusing him
self by telling the girl to say kiss
me-" telling her the words meant
Good morning" Billy and kept
looking at each other, laughing over
the fun we were having. and by and
by the girls said they must go on home
We asked permission to attend Them
but they declined At parting one "
them said:
I'VE thank you for your kindness
gentlemen Though we are only poor
Swiss farmers daughters. we seem to
have amused you"
1.-THE thanks are due to you" l re-
Piled "since you have given us very
pleasant hour"
Don't you think" said Billy. that
there was Some shenanigan about
those girlsY
What do you mean?"
Seems TO me they know more than
we think they do"
A week later we were In the casino
at Lucerne when l heard woman's
voice behind me speaking with the
real American accent.
"For heavens sake. julie, where
have you been all this time? I've
been looking for you everywhere"
turned, and there stood our Swiss
peasant girls.
"Stung!" cried Billy. and the girls