Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-02-20

| fsyS1 has to find it out for himself in the
I-~/ school of experience; nor must he
49, hope by any argument to convince
those who have not yet learnt the lesson
Thousands are now accustomed to take an an
nua holiday in the Alps, but most OF these nav
ing only few short weeks at their disposal stay
at hotel. There are. however. maryland their
number is increasing-who go out with
their families and spend the whole season in the
mountains yet who grow weary OF continual hotei
life. and seek after something that shall be not
only more Independent but less expensive. for TO
many the question of expense looms larger every
year Such can hardly do better than take a fur
nished chalet in the hills. There are many such
be found. and although rents tend to increase,
they cannot yet be said to be excessive. The
Swiss have realized the fact that there Is grow
ing demand for wellappointed chaets In good sit
uations, that many have recently been buiit ana
others are being adapted
Those thinking of taking such chalet for the
winter months would be well advised to see that
II stands at an altitude of not less than $500 feet
above level Should 1t be lower there VIII be
some risk of fogs from the plains and lakes ris
ing above 1t. and OF wet mud taking the place OF
firm. dry 1t may be remarked In passing
that for housekeeping purposes 1t Is useful to
choose place within easy reach of some town
such as Montreux Interlaken, though much
shopping is best done by post. II the house is
large will sometimes happen that the owner VIII
retain a few rooms for his own personal use In
this he will almost always be glad to give
help whenever 1t is asked for. The average Swiss
village, let IL De Saiu uOes not usudhs thc
luxuries OF Capua but the visitor VIII quickly
discover where to obtain everything that he needs.
He will find that his chalet can be managed
with remarkably little servant power. Central
heating" may be called necessity, and. In
private house where the ventilation can be proper
ly attended to. II does not produce the stuffness
that is such undesirable feature In so many
hotels.
AT Rome as at Rome" is useful motto for
those who live away from their country. The
Swiss peasant has his own opinions and his own
way OF looking at life Therefore. visitor should
not be angry with him when he finds that he has
a fixed notion that all foreigners are semi-mii-
lionaires. Is 1t surprising that the villagers. be-
ing Intelligent II somewhat narrow and unedu-
Gated, should look upon the gems de se1our VINO
come from afar and live in nice houses. and so
far as thev can see. do work whatever. as
almost inexhaustible gold mines? They would
hardly be human II they did not use their oppor
tunities of making hay while the sun shines; only
Il rests with each visitor to see that he does not
personally contribute an unreasohapiy larse snare
of the hay.
The dweller in hotels sees but one side OF Swiss
character-the outside: Tor though the Swiss may
be business-ike. he is emphatcally not obsequ
iors by nature. On the contrary. he is vigorously
independent. The father of a large family viii
be grateful to receive any crumbs from the rich
mans table, in the shape of discarded clothes for
the use of his bows provided that they are offered
as from equal to equal. for he Is very SEN
sitive. But in a short time one of the boys will
probably bring bask of eggs Ito thank mon
.ieur and madame" The writer was once asked
TO photograph some girls and few days later
message came from the chidren's mother: Might
she do some of the household washing free of
charge in return?" That is not such bad kind
of independence, At least. it compares favorably
with variety that is to be met with. which
thinks to show its independence In rough man
ners but is above taking everything II can get
without making any adequate return Take MIN
all round the Swiss peasant is an interesting and
a good man to deal with. Suspicious at first. and
sensitive always, he responds warmly when he Is
treated with tact and sympathy.
one of the very first questions that occur to
possible chalet dweer is; will there be plenty
OF congenial society shall we be dull?" To
which the reply must be made that the amount of
society depends largely on the place selected, and
its nature ones self 1t is always possible TO
ascertain beforehand the number and size of the
hotels in the village. and these may be looked
upon as a fairly reliable index of the visiting pop
ulation. Moreover, IL has been the writer's ex-
perience that hotel keepers. far from looking
askance at chalet dwellers. welcome them and
willingly allow them the use OF their skating
Kinks and toboggan very moderate terms.
Many chalets built with an open hre-
place in the drawing room, where cheerful wood
fires may be lighted. And. let 1t be remembered.
that in most places, wood Is plentiful that
within a few minutes walk OF the chalet sackfuls
of fir cones and armfuls OF sticks and logs may be
collected: is II possible to exhaust the supply.
Yet in the daytime artificial heating can often be
dispensed with Day after day the sun shines in
cloudless beauty. and It is possible to sit out
the balcony reading hour after hour. So dry is
the air that eyaporates with the heat more
rapidly than II melts that unless the thaw be
very pronounced there is total absence of
'slush" Last winter. a week of snow at the be
ginning ef December was followed by six weeks Of