The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-07
CHRISTMAS IN SWITZERLAND
 SPOILED BY GREAT WORLD WAR


 Journey forth to that beautous land where the season of white is the jol- Hest time of the year. Then came the war, cruel, devastating and ever spreading. With Wizard-like swiftness Switzerland mobilized her army and ever since the ancient Helvettan Re- public has been described as an 1s- land of peace in sea of war.
 Switzerland, an innocent bystander, is suffering enormous financial loss es through the European conflict; losses which her courageous citizens wi.a moreover have to bear themselves but from the very beginning of the ca tastrophe the country has particular ly distinguished herself by a number of charitable undertakings on behalf of her belIigent neighbors, their cap tive and wounded soldiers and their suffering civilian population in gen. eraL
 With her much admired army keep ing faithful watch on the four from tiers, the. country may indeed be con- sidered as the haven of peace and safety in Europe and 1t is therefore not surprising that the vast number of health resorts which are scattered all over the most exquisite parts or the land continue to receive a lair number of guests.
 The fourth "War Winter" has ar rived and the majority of those dis tricts which nature has endowed with the advantages indispensable to a Winter ''health and pleasure resort. have already completed the necessary preparations to receive guests.
 To those who know her, Switzer- land in summer represents master study in artistic color combination; Switzerland in Winter, however, is a totally different vision, radiant in daz- xiing spotless white: Jack Frost has imprinted a stIencing kiss upon the babbling lips of every tiny brook and mountain stream and glfstening sheets of the smoothest ice cover also the 1inpid eyes of ponds and Alpine lakes. While mother earth is thus wrapped in a wonderful mantle of ice and snow the sky above has assumed the matchleas hue of a precious sapphire and the always delicious mountain air seems to have acquired some addi- tionaI qualities which strengthen and rejuYenate the whole human system and which instfll into every being, young or old, an inexplicable feeling of Ifght-hearted happiness. Very shortly we find every body interested and engaged in some form of Winter sport
 There Is skating. of course, but many games compete now with this oldest of sports on the ice, which has however been developed into an art which charms the onlooker by the gracefulneas of it's movement, now aS- tonishes by the cool daring of it's swift rrshes.
 As in summer over the lawn 90 fffee the tennis ball over the ice in the game of hockey. Curriers' are fran tica1fy weeping their 'tstanes" to- wards the coveted goal and the un- limited diversity of Gymkhana stunts offers constant amusement for the players as well as for the on1ookers.
 The improved appliances for spor' requirements have nearly busted the old-fashioned herdsnsn's sIeds which are now only occasionally used bJ tfnaid beginners. The up-to-date ve hicIs is the so-caIled skeleton, low yard-long toboggan, on which thu rider lies flat, steering the craft wit1 hands and feet Like an arrow darts up the iced walls of the eurve mnd as the bswildered spectator fear fully antic1pA4es an accident. the to began shoots down into the furrov and around . beautifully shaped curve
 One of the most attractive and cer tainly 6 very social sport is bobsleigh ing. Long, low padded toboggane seating as many aS 6 persons are use' and under this heavy burden the bob sleigh shoots down its course witl amazing speed. As the leader swayG almost automatically, the olose1 crowded team bend themselves, 8 guiding the sleigh to the right or left they apply a break by letting them solve drop on the snow or drive t greater swiftneSs by bending forwar like jockeys. Strong iron spike which are driven by lever into tn ice enable the leader to stop the we hic1e almost instantly, but a sudde application of these brakes whirls u the ice and snow in clouds, shakin and jolting the riders.
 Skiing has taken root to an ez traordinary extent in Switzerland even the poorest youth does not war to do without skis through the might only consist of a couple C crudety adjusted barrel slaves. Thank to the ski the boys and girls living 0 remotely situated farms are now abl to attend school every day; their pal ents are no longer isolated for tn best part of the long winter month and thanks also to the wooden wing of Norway the mail and nswspape, can be delivered regularly.
 Sport Is furthermore made easier b the different mountain railways, whie in winter run toboggan trains. Thu ons can travel a couple of stations LII wards and arrive at the startin point on a mountain road without e1 eftion and without waste of tim Then one descends to the valley c tsbeggan, ski CT skates, OF viewers go down first and return by train | winter quarters.
 Races, competitions, s1eigh-dfive eki-exearsiehs, ice-eaFnivals and 6 equal variety of fascinating iHdet Entertainments transplant the hapT winter visitor into @ totally diffefel world where sorrow and care seem be banished and where every huma being seems to realize that the be life after all is found right next neture's heart
 But Christmas in Switzerland do not only indicate the time when vii ter sports are beginning to be at the bestj it signifies for the natives a pc iod full of sacred mystery and u anniversary of many a day Partieula iy specified in ancient legends.