The Washington times., 1935-09-30
NOW
Wanderers Go
to Switzerland
ALPINE BEAUTY
By HELEN ESSARY
LAUSANNE.


dwindling book Of travellers
checks and child Peggy, three
quarters of hour before express
for Lausanne is due to leave.
Mean to get compartment seats
by window this time.
Dingy old men are splashing
grimy floors with water from
buckets. Dingy old women fol-
low, sweeping with witch'S
brooms. Stop at Bureau de
Baggage and learn that in addi-
ton to cost of ticket I must pay
$3.50 to take one trunk with
me. Mutter Intellectually. Fol-
low two porteurs (striped blue
pantaloonS and bright blue
jacketS) and seven bags to COM
partment. While porteurs pile
bags in racks I wonder how
much to tip them: Decide on
eight francs for both.
! Peggy advises more or they'll
screech at you" Reflect that,
life in France being what 1T Is,
If I were to meet st. Peter
standing by the Arc de Tri-
omphe, I'd wonder how much I
ought to tip him.
! Second-class compartment IS
very comfortable. Fat, uphol-
stored seats and curtains that
may be drawn at night if one
wishes to sleep sitting up, as is
the custom in this country. An
overnight sleeper costs about
$12.5O!
study scenery.
Long after we have passed
Paris tidy back yards Peggy
asks if am sure we are on
the right train-''people are so
funny over here. Am not
sure but think that train left
at appointed hour, a good omen.
Miles and miles of incredibly
charming country. This part Of
France is like a great, land
Scaped park-double rows OF
poplars line rivers and streams,
dahlias as big as sunflowers in
gardens beside tracks, luXuriant
vines everywhere. High walls
of clipped hedges. Vegetables in
neat, profitable rowS-Nature
evidently grows obediently at
direction of citizens living in red
rooted farm houses and villas.
Investigation of train reveals
in near by compartment two
weedy old English ladies un-
Strapping crossword puzzle books
from travelling pillows. In
next compartment big English
girl resembling mother (unfor-
tunate) is knitting passionately.
Bell rings for luncheon. We
bump down aisles past third
class compartments (very clean,
leather seats) and past quite
empty first class" compart-
ments to Wagon Lit 1nterna.
tionale for delicious meal.
Mon Dieu! what cooks these
French are" says Peggy, who
has come abroad "to learn the
language. .Filet of sole is de-
lectable. Ros boeuf juicy and
brown. Potatoes with creamy
cheese sauce and green beans
L'Anglaise (American string),
likewise good.
All occupants of car eat hun.
grily and with satisfaction. Oh.
serve that Weedy old English
ladies-heads now wrapped in
brown and gray handkerchiefs
ARE seated opposite active
French gentlemen with two
toothpicks. order too expensive
red wine and discover I have
not enough French francs to
pay. Must therefore pay in
Swiss francs. Plunge into heavy
mathematics Of money chang.
! ing.
r We are now riding through
hilly country. Blue shadows on
mountains. Castles and churches
on top of ridges. Stone walls
thick with ferns support road.
Sides-no soil erosion here. AT
Dijon, priests with round up
turned hats and bearded monks
in long brown robes enter train,
also excitable wedding party.
See goats springing over
rocks. Also women working in
fields. Cabbages look better
kept than women. Remember
suddenly that I have not pre-
sented single letter of introduc.
tion in Paris. oh, well-an.
other time. Conductor (chef du
trainO collects tickets. Decide
we must be on right train as he
makes no remarks. Scenery is
now definitely full Of noun
tains.
After Swiss customs officers
leave train at border, we notice
that the look of the country be-
gins to change. The bright red
roofs Of France fade out into
reddish brown. The caves of
houses broaden. The valleys be.
tween the ridges are as clean
and bright as Christmas gardens
and the village houses cluster
together like old friends gather
ing for gossip
Gardens and farms now give
way to pine forestS-trees so
symmetrical they might have
been made of papier mache. =.
Fields pass again-little girl in
bright red dress sits on hay
stack and watches mother and
father rake new mown grass. :.
Smaller farms. Smaller gardens
now we come to chaletS and