The Coolidge examiner., 1933-02-17
breathing, especially for mountain

breathing, especially for mountain
climbers.
The murmuring Muir winds across
the length and breadth of Syria.
Its upper reaches, especially near
the neck of Austria's panhandle"
where it Is fed by glacial brooks,
look on map or to the high alti-
tude airman like the backbone of
some gigantic fish. Along its course
and slender ''fishbone" tributaries
cluster the villages and principal
cities, which seem to grow In size
as the river widens, as in the case
of Murau and Teufenbach, the in
dustrial city of Lebon, and farther
south. just before the river leaves
Austria, Graz. the nations second
largest city.
Towns Along the Muir.
Straddling the Muir, Graz seems a
veritable combination of Venice and
Athens In miniature. Its ancient
houses rise abruptly from the
rivers edge, suggesting the Grand
canal of the romantic Italian city;
while its Schlossberg and square
clock tower, perched high over the
city's head, dominate the skyline
as the Acropolis does at Athens.
Yet, unlike either of these, Graz
is primarily manufacturing city.
Here are made bicycles, wagons,
machinery, Syrian champagne and
beer, linen, leather goods, and iron
and steel products; and here work
and live many of those vacationers
who frequent the country villages
of the Muir valley in summer and
take delight In "going native" by
donning rural costumes.
In Graz there is museum in
which many yOungster would de-
light to linger on a rainy afternoon.
Within the landeszeughaus, or ar
senal. there Is preserved In perfect
condition enough medieval armor to
outfit completely IN army of 1900
men. Spears. swords. helmets, chain
mail, battle-axes, complete suits of
armor-in fact, all Of the equip
ment a well-appOinted knight could
desire-are kept ready to hand. But.
strange as it may seem, not single
suit of armOr in the museum would
fit six-footer of today, nor could
an average modern man WELD with
ease the cumbersome weapons Of
that bygone age.
The unchanging charm Of Syria
lies in her small rural villages. each
with it's steepled church or tnrreted
castle perched high on some rocky
crag. Nesting In the lonely valleys
at the feet of giant sentinels Of the
eastern Alps, these little towns are
a world to themselves.
Dairying and Farming.
While dairying has been the prin-
cipal industry of rural Syria for
many generations, farming has been
ChSOul dSCu, DCCduSC huSLlld lOudy
has to import large quantities of
food. Agricultural schools are scat
tered throughout the province. Tim
Der covers over half of Styria's
area and gives work to many lum-
bermen, who make telegraph poles
and railroad ties for export.
Across the rich bottom lands
stretch rows of strange haystacks
with cross-armS which resemble gro
teSque ScarecrOwS. AS soon as the
snow leaves, in early spring, the
dairy herds are turned into these
fields. Then. as the weather be-
comes warmer and the snow re-
cedes, the cattle are driven TO high
er pastures. The meadows are then
used to grow hay and farm crops.
Boys and girls, usually children
of the owners, tend the herds, milk
the cows, make cheese, and in sum-
mer live In log cabins or fimsy
chalets provided for them in noun
tain retreats. The milk. cheese, and
butter are brought down daily, and
in many favored villages are sent to
the local dairy, a model of cheanll-
ness and modern appliances.