The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-09-09
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
laken by train and from there laid out
pedestrian tours.
One of the first we made was to
Grindelwald and thence up the side of
the mountain to Schcidegg. There we
got good dinner, after which we
walked up a short distance to point
where we could see the glacier. 1t
was very wild and magnificent and all
that, but seeing such sights is not
what am going to tell yOl about In
jhe afternoon we walked down the
mountain to Lauterbrunnen and short
ly before we reached that place came
mp with 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 costumeit would
be away ahead of trudging alone by
our own uninteresting selves. AS we
passed them / bowed very politely,
took off my cap and pointing to
mountain whose name ! knew as well
as my own, asked in German-the Ian
guage mostly spoken In this part of
Switzerland-wha 1t was.
"Thats the Eiger," replied one Of the
girls.
boldly expatiated on the beauty Of
the scenery envied those who lived
always i'm the Alps, and rs soon MS
ran out of something to say Billy took
up the dialogue. The girls did not
seem averse to forming our acquaint-
ance, and it 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. l got in as
many nice things to my girl as i could
think Of, and she being to the country
born and unsophisticated didn't hesl-
tate to lay 1t on thick. Every now and
again / could hear Billy, who was
walking with the other girl only few
yards ahead of me, doing the same
thing.
When we reached Lauterbrunnen
the girls bid us gOodby, saying that
they lived In chalet beyond the town.
We were near n refreshment house
standing beside the road, and / invit-
ed them to go up on to the porch for
"A cheese sandwich and glass of the
beer they drink over there, which is 30
dreadfully mild that 1t wouldn't intox-
icate mouse. After a consultation
apart from us they said they wouldn't
mind being refreshed after 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 is he.
You are both gentlemen"
/ looked at Billy, and Billy looked
at me-
How did you find that OutY' ]
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
. can tell a German from Brenchman
or an Engishman"
what nationality are we?" Billy
asked
!, You wear French clothes, but you
are not French. You are either Eng
fish or American. | think you are
American"
"By Joyc, Billy" ] exclaimed in the
; plain American language, they're
smarter than | thought they werev'
, The girls We're very much tickleC
g that they had been able to tell our ma
tionallty They asked us to teacf
, them a little English. So ! told the
:, one ! had walked with to pronounc,
l the words Il love YOU" She spok,
e them, 81 lo(e you,' and asked me {,
I translate them into German, but there
Q was Il lool; Ia her eye that made mt
| suspect that She already had an ide,
ms TO their meaning | told her the!
| meant "Thank YOU"
Meanwhile Billy was amusing him
self by telling the girl to say "Kis
( me-" telling her the words mean
Good morning" Billy and ! KEEP
3 looking at each other, laughing owe
Q the fun we We're having, aud by ant
o by the girls sald they must go on home
We asked permission TO attend them
but they declined. At parting one o
them said:
I'VE thank you for your kindness
gentlemen. Though we are only poo
i. Swiss farmers daughters, we seem I
have amused YOU"
"The thanks are due to you," re
: piled, "since you have given us YER
= pleasant hour"
Don't you think" said Billy. "tha
> there was some shenanigan abou
those girlsg"
' "What do you mean?"
Seems to me they know more tina
we think they do"
= A week later we were In the casin