i6o THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



tourists. It is somewhat higher than The floor was the bare ground trodden 



our Catskills, being not quite 6,000 feet hard, the rafters were laden with vaiious 



high, but is so advantageously situated articles of food and the walls decorated 



that an excellent panorama is afforded of with sundry cooking utensils, all bright- 



the entire chain ot Alps. From its sum- ly polished. Everything had the ap- 



mit we can see a range of mountains 120 pearance of tidiness and cleanliness, 



miles long, the Sentes, Bernese range, My hostess was a very pleasant wo- 



Jungfrau, Wetterhorn, thirteen lakes and man, and upon my inquiry she informed 



even the Black Forest of Germany. me that the small family lived happily 



This, however, was not my idea of on the mountain side, were accustomed 



mountain climbing, hence I determined to the solitude of winter and did not care 



to ascend Pilatus, a mountain over- for the outside world. How grand it 



looking Lucerne. Therefore, I ordered must be to be simple and innocent and 



a carriage for three o'clock in the morn- with no extravagant demands, but to 



ing, and having prepared a knapsack of live in peace and contentment. These 



provisions, started out. The ride to the people have no nightmares regarding the 



base of the mountain was a long one and silver bill, tariff reform, the Hawaiian 



the many villages we passed were still question or the Raines bill, but live in 



peacefully sleeping, calm simplicity. 



About five o'clock I dismissed the I started out once more, but the sun 

 carriage and with my lunch and a staff was now unmercifully hot. It may be 

 started to ascend the Pilatus. The path well to remark that it was the middle of 

 led through mountain fields, up a slight August, and in the valleys the tempera- 

 incline, for several hours. Meanwhile ture was just as high as we experience 

 the dawn had brightened, the sun rose it here. Of course in the higher alti- 

 spreading his mighty rays across the tudes it must of necessity be cooler. I 

 arch of sky, upon the undulating hills, followed a well beaten path, and having 

 and I felt serenely happy. At 7 o'clock replenished my water flask from a moun- 

 I reached a small hut and knocked at tain stream continued onward. I climbed 

 the door. There was no answer, but and climbed, although not with great 

 just then I espied a buxum young woman difficult}', having followed a regular 

 coming down the steep, rocky mountain path, and about noon, exceedingly tired 

 path, with a deep basket strapped to her and overheated, I reached the summit, 

 back loaded with wood, and also carrying an elevation of 9,000 feet. Again I was 

 two pails of milk. disappointed. 



I asked her for a breakfast. Before It was warm, the hotel rates were as 



the door of the hut was a small bench high as the altitude, and no snow and 



and table and I sat down to view the ice. I wanted snow and ice, for that 



scenery. The country all round was was inseparably linked with my ideal 



locked in by huge receding hills, and of the Alps. Of course the panorama of 



above me rose the Pilatus, whose peak the distant snow-clad peaks was beauti- 



I attempted to reach. My repast con- ful, but I was disappointed, and like the 



sisted of goat's milk, honey and rolls, King of France, I marched down hill 



and I must confess I enjoyed it better again. 



than the table d'hote at the Grand Hotel, From Lucerne, by way of Giessbach, 



Paris. we went to Grindlewald, but upon our 



I gave a quick glance into the room, arrival found the town in ruins and our 



