The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-04-15
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AkEaste r mi
Switzerland
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E,EIzSl
To those who shaye: sjourneyed; in
Switzerland the word easter" CON
jures far more than atsvision of tower
ing peaks or snoW-clad 4 mountain
ranges shining in an eternity Of SHOWS,
and of lakes, as blue as lapis lazuli,
framed by emerald vineyards climbing
up Alpine meadows. It recalls to one
wildly the popular fetes and national
dances Of the people which bring Joy
to their hearts after the long, hard
Alpine winter is past. NJ i ;>F
Despite the. Shadow of their noun
tains and their eternal struggle with
nature in the form Of disastrous ava
spahches or similar catastrophes, the
Swiss are buoyant people and apply
themselves to merrymaking with the
same zest they display Ia their work.
Next to August !. when they celebrate
the birth Of their confederation, much
as we do our Fourth :ef aJuly, TO which
it is equivalent, Easter is looked for
ward to more than. any other festival
of the year.. ] EE4t.%sI - : Il
From the time the nrst blossom ap-
pears on the. neadpws pdrepara tiens for
Easter are In. progress In ;eysly isos,
lated peasant home and I'M every
chalet in the s,hamletst sand towns
Nesting at the; foot EEof the ameuntains.
One Of these; Swiss homes is typical
of all the rest II it ts Old enough
it has acquired the rich sepia and
burnt sienna Stones characteristic of
the country and frequently. on it's
front walls is u motto or legend
in black gothic letters that proclaims,
to all who behold, the sentiments of
those who dwell therein, or it tells the
year in which the owner caused it to
be built by what master-builder. In
addition to the garden space about
it there Is pear tree trained up in
front against the balcony, while the
lodges of the two-storied balconies are
adorned with potted plants blooming
profusely. It Is in just such COM
Portable peasant home that Vreneli,
the eighteen:year-old daughter, can be
pictured in the act of announcing that
SHE has found the first "Alpenrosli,"
as the little Alpen rose is called.
Reveals Coming Of Easter.
Instantly there is great excitement
in the family circle, and they all gath
er round her to view the rich red bios
SONS. ~
-
snow comes Easter!" cries the
grandmother excitedly. "Behold our
resurrection flower!" she adds reyer-
emily, leaving her chimney corner for
the first time in months. She has had
busy time@th through the hard Alpine
winter knitting wooden stockings, and
there are many pairs of feet to provide
for.
Mother, aren't you glad?" asks
Vreneli. Mother smiles and signs good
naturally as she thinks Of the busy
days ahead, not only for Easter, but
the preparation for Vreneli's wedding
soon thereafter, judging by the atten--
tons of one Jean.
The boys are already dancing Jig,
with their smaller brothers and sisters
z-Kathlei, Jaggi, Babel and Seppli-
while Vreneli with shining eyes takes
her place at her spinning wheel to
weave more treasures for her beloved
"hope chest"
GrandmoIner, mother ana wrench
ransack all the boxes and trunks in
the attic for bits of colored fabrics
to dye the children's Easter eggs
which will figure so conspicuously in,
the egg contest on the last school day.
before Easter. But at last they are
all colored, dozens of them, and the
glad day arrives. It is an exciting
event for old as well as young, and
they all go to the school house to wit
ness it. Even father leaves his COWS
and sheep long enough to indulge in
this pleasure.
Few Eggs "Go the Limit"
The teacher stands the children in
a row and then divides them into two
rows. Each child has a basket Of
eggs. AT last the fateful moment ar
rives. 4 Little hearts beat pit-a.pat~as
the opponents egg IS smartly, tapped
against the one held aloft. Alas
There is an ominOus crack which pro-
claims the rainbow-hued egg as the
weaker. Fortunately, there is always
one egg in the multitude that remains
intact despite the vicious raps and
taps and the match-winner naturally
captures all the others. Old and
young, are supremely happy
That evening just after dusk there
is enacted a pretty little Easter tab
1eau they have been anticipating.
Jean has been absent for more than
( "a hours, and they suspect that he
MAS gone up the mountains with some
of the other Easter SWANS to find his
chiltenbIeume or counting flower. Be-
hind the easement Of her room Vreneli
awaits his arrival with:a beating heart.
Suddenly she hears the soft yodeling
of q VOL loved yOicp She diScreetlV