The herald., 1920-03-11

VOW that peace has come, Swift
III zerland is busily preparing TO
assume her old place as the
favorite playground of the old
world. The little Helvetian republic
of prOverbial beauty, and far more
beautiful still in the eyes of many
for as an angel of mercy has she
shown her real worth in the worlds
tragedy-is fairly trimming over with
attractions sought by lovers Of the
medieval and quaint and curious, and
will now more than ever become a
haven of blissful rest and healthful en-
joyment, writes Marie Widmer in the
New York Herald.
During the last five winters, in spite
of the war, the numerous winter sport
resorts tucked away in all those lovely
spots over 5000 feet above sea level,
managed TO have season" on a linn
tied scale, and now that conditions are
once more becoming normal IT is ex-
pected that the winter 19191920 will
see a great many visitors flock to that
in the midst Of that fierce turmoil, has
remained intact.
Switzerland in her winter garb To
the newcomer it means a vision of
paradise-to the habitue a coming
home to a beloved haunt. Once a mas
ter study in artistic color combina-
lions, the country appears now as a
glorious symphony in white. Jack
Frost has imprinted a silencing kiss
upon the babbling lips of every tiny
brook and mountain stream and glis-
tening sheets of ice cover also the
limpid blue eyes Of ponds and Alpine
lakes. Ice and snow everywhere and
above a glorious expanse of deep blue
sky. The air itself seems to have gain
ed some new miraculous qualities and
faces which yesterday looked weary
and tired have a cheerful and ener-
getie expression today.
Land Of Winter Sports.
For the natives the time of pleasant
sociability has now come. Visits be-
| tween friends and relatives are fire.
quently interchanged-by sleigh in the
case of the older set, and by ski in
the case Of the younger generation.
Even some Of the passes are quite an
mated, as winter is the time of the
great transport of merchandise over
mountains, such as the Veltiner wines
i in the case of the Grisons. From the
high lying pastures they slide down to
the valley the hay which had been
stored in the picturesque huts, and
the woodcutters, in their turn, are
busy in the high forest. The proud
tree-trunks fall cracking before the
axe and Ratchet. and the logs dart like
arrows down snow-runs to the traffic.
beaten roads below.
Nowhere on earth have the posi-.
bilities of winter sport been more
keenly realized than in Switzerland
and that is why we find In this small
land such a great choice of resorts
which possess scientifically laid out to-
boggan and bobsleigh runs, ice Kinks
thrilling ski-jump, etc.
Very soon we find everybody inter
ested 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 onlookel
by the gracefulness Of its movements
now astonishes by the cool daring Of
its swift rushes.
/ As In summer over the lawn, so fiie'
the tennis ball over the ice in the game
Of hockey. Curriers' are franticall!
sweeping their "stanes" toward TIT
coveted goal, and the unlimited diver
sity Of gymkhana stunts offers con
slant amusement for the players a.
well as for the onlookers.
The improved appliances for spor
requirements have nearly ousted tn
old-fashioned herdsmen's sleds, whicl
are now only occasionally used b.
timid beginners. The upto-dat
vehicle is the so-called skeleton. low
yard-long toboggan. on which the ride
lies fiat, steering the craft with hand
and feet.
Like an arrow II darts up to tn
iced walls Of the curves, and as tn
bewildered spectator fearfully. antic
pates an accident, the toboggan shoot
down into the furrow and around
beautifully shaped curve.