The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-02-21

!: !: !"
- F. an almost universal feeling among
- mankind. bort wo du NIGHT blst
r. EtEN dort is das Gluck." AS the years
"a Nl pass by, the fallacy in 1t begins to
| N1l make itself felt, but each individual
| ESX$I has to find it out for himself In the
Is school of experience; nor must ne
hope by any argument to convince
those who have not yet learnt the lesson.
Thousands now accustomed to take an an
nual 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 ever increasing-who go out with
their families and spend the whole season in the
mountains yet who grow weary of continual hotel
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 fur
nished chalet in the hills. There are many such
to be found, and although rents tend to increase
they cannot yet be said to be excessive Inc
Swiss have realized the fact that there is grow
ing demand for wellapponted chalets In good Sit
uations so that many have recently been built and
others are being adapted.
Those thinking Of taking such chalet for the
winter months would be we'll advised to see that
It stands at an altitude Of not less than o,5OO 1eeI
above sea level. Should it be lower there will be
some risk Of fogs from the plains and lakes IT'S
ing above 1t, and of wet mud taking the place OF
frm dry snow. 1t may be remarked in passing
that for housekeeping purposes 1t Is userul 10
choose a place within easy reach or some town
such as Montreux Interlaken, though much
shopping is best done by post. IL the mouse Is
large it will sometimes happen that the owner Will
retain few rooms for his own personal In
this case he will almost always be glad to give
help whenever 1t is asked for. The average Swiss
village let 1t be said does not usually provide the
luxuries Of a Capua, but the visitor will quickly
discover where to obtain everything that he needs.
He will soon find that his chalet can be managed
with remarkably little servant power Central
heating may be called a necessity, and, in
private house where the ventilation can be proper
ly attended to, it does not produce the STIFFNESS
that Is such an 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 semi-mil-
lionaires. Is it surprising that the villagers, be-
ing intelligent If somewhat narrow and unedu-
Gated, should look upon the gems de sejour who
come from afar and live in nice houses. and, so
far as they 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
it rests with each visitor to see that he does not
personally contribute an unreasonably large share
of the hay
The dweller in hotels sees but one side of Swiss
characterize outside; for though the Swiss may
be business-like, he is emphatically not obsequ-
ious by nature. On the contrary, he is vigorously
Independent. The father of a large family will
be grateful to receive any crumbs from the rich
mans table, in the shape Of discarded clothes for
the Of his boys provided that they are offered
as from equal to an equal, for he is very SEN
sitive. But In a short time one of the boys will
ohah Nv ket Of IN
sieur and madame" The writer asked
to photograph some girls, and few days later a
message came from the children'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 a variety that is to be met with, which
thinks to show its independence in rough man.
ners, but is not above taking everything get
without making any adequate return. Take him
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 a
possible chalet dweller 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 on 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 a fairly reliable index OF the visiting pop
ulation. Moreover 1t has been the writer's
perience that hotel keepers far from looking
askance at chalet jewellers, welcome them and
willingly allow them the Of their skating
Kinks and toboggan runs very moderate terms.
Many chalets are now built with an open fire.
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 q few minutes walk Of the chalet sackfuls
of Ar cones and armfuls OF sticks and logs may be
collected; is it possible exhaust the supply
Yet In the daytime artificial heating can often be
dispensed with. Day after day the sun shines in
cloudess beauty. and it is possible to sit out on
the balcony reading hour after hour So dry Is
the air that snow evaporates with the heat more
rapidly than 1t melts. SO that unless the thaw be
very pronounced there is a total absence of
slush." Last winter, q week Of snow at the be-
ginning Of December was followed by six weeks of