USA > Ohio > The Western Reserve of Ohio and some of its pioneers, places and women's clubs, Vol. I > Part 26
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of us who did not go to the palace, visited the stores and shops, viewing the fine pieces of wood carving, which art seems to be one in which many of the people are proficient. There were saints and apostles and the Saviour with a crown of thorns, and also as a boy before the learned doctors, all carved in wood. Photograps of the actors in the play were on sale and many purchased them. Some did more, for they called on the actors who had them on sale and secured their autographs also. The writer of this visited Mary, or Miss Flunger, and found her to be a sweet looking girl of twenty.
Understanding that she could talk English, I said, "My dear, water is abundant in this valley; why can we not have some to drink?" and added the request, "Will you not speak to the authorities for us and explain our wishes?"
She only laughed and nodded her head in approval, prob- ably not fully understanding English when rapidly spoken.
A temporary room was put up in the garden of our board- ing house for our party and others to take their meals in. There was one waitress for twenty of us, and we asked her for water. She smiled and went away, returning finally with twenty glasses of milk, warm from the cow. She at last brought us water, but it was warm and unsatisfying.
On Sunday morning a wonderful tinkling of bells awoke us, and on looking out, there were a hundred and fifty brindle cows, more or less, being driven to the hills to graze, each one wearing a large bell that tinkled with every motion. The streets have neither sidewalks nor foot-paths; and the great number of cattle passing over them leave them in no pleasant condition. We soon learned, however, to make cross-cuts where the cattle were not driven. Some of the party climbed the mountain where the great cross stands, and while the ascent
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was not difficult, the descent was so precipitous, they told us, that many slid down in terror of their lives.
One morning, I opened a door at the boarding house and found myself in a vast barn. The door closed behind me locking itself, and as the floor to the barn was many feet below where I stood, and reached only by a ladder, the situation was not enviable. But I had solved the mystery of the odors; there were cattle, pigs and chickens all under the same roof with us. After I had called out several times, a girl appeared on the barn floor, and, climbing the ladder released me. The room into which I had blundered was the family sleeping apartment. We all felt thankful after this, that our dining- room was in the garden. Another peculiarity of Oberammer- gau architecture was to be seen in the shingles on the roofs of many houses being kept in place by long strips of wood held down by large flat stones.
On our way to the theatre where the Passion Play is enacted, we went into the only church the town offords. In it was an organ, various symbols of the Catholic church and the ever-present confessional; while a number of penitents were kneeling in prayer. The theatre itself is at one end of the town, and upon reaching it, we found a flight of steps on the outside leading to a gallery that would seat 4,000 persons. The seats were of planed but unvarnished wood, yet very com- fortable. Ours were, fortunately, in the center row and di- rectly in front of the stage. The auditorium is roofed over but open at the sides, giving an extended view of the green hills back of the town. A Greek temple was back of the stage, and the house of Pilate on one side, with the house of Annas on the other, each reached by a broad flight of steps. Two handsome curtains draped the entrance to the temple.
The performance opened with the singing of a chorus of
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thirty-four-twenty ladies and fourteen gentlemen. They came down the steps from the house of Pilate and that of Annas, led by Joseph Mayr, the former Christus, as prologue, and Jacob Ritz as leader of the chorus. The end man wore a cloak of red velvet with a wide gold border and flowing sleeves; the next, a pale green one, of same make and material; the next, a pale blue one, and then mauve, giving a rainbow effect quite strik- ing to the beholder. Several verses were sung, accompanied by the orchestra, which was in front, and the chorus retired. The first scene was of children bearing palms before Jesus as he entered, riding upon an ass. He then alighted and proceeded to overturn the tables of the money changers, causing great con- fusion.
The priests and traders called out, "By what authority doest thou these things?" and, "Who gave thee this authority?"
Caiaphas, who is jealous of Christ's growing influence, quotes the law and says to the traders, "Your loss shall be made good from the Temple treasury."
Then Nathaniel tells the traders they must all assist in putting down an enemy of the law, and they all cry out with zeal that they will give their lives for the law of Moses and the Holy Sanhedrim.
But, to go into minute details of the Passion Play would be unnecessary, as the public already understands that it is the dramatized story of Christ and his crucifixion. There were some parts, and special features of acting, however, that made a lasting impression. Anton Lang, who personated Christ, pre- served his calm and graceful demeanor under great provocation that would naturally be ascribed to one without sin, and showed fully the superiority of the Saviour over other men. His fare- well to Mary, his mother, was more expressive of kindness than
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the bible story, and his acting throughout was highly com- mendable. Judas was a character not soon to be forgotten, as personated by Johann Zwink. He had the gait and mein of an impulsive and suspicious person, and as he came and listened and went again, he gave to the onlooker the full impression that he was not quite sure of himself. Except for the long monologues that were in his part, and were very tedious, Judas was interesting.
The disciples seemed to be weak mortals, frightened by the words of the rulers, and appeared only in the distance. Peter was represented as a small man in a pale green tunic with white sleeves. As the notes of chanticleer were constantly being heard we did not share his dismay when the cock crowed. In fact, the Peter at Oberammergau was so true to the Peter of old that he awakened the same feeling we have when reading the bible story.
But when Pilate entered, a new element seemed to have come into the confusion. He was a man of a different cast of countenance and of powerful physique; and when he ordered his soldiers to protect Jesus, they stood around him with drawn swords as though they knew their duty.
And when Pilate said, "I see no fault in this man; let him go," the impression was that he believed in this Jesus, but was overruled by the injustice of the people and the fear of losing his office.
The first among the sadder scenes is the one where Mary and John and Magdalene are waiting for Jesus as he comes bearing the cross and falls beneath its weight.
Mary cries out, "Will no one carry the cross for Jesus?" Simon is then thrust forward and takes up the cross, under the weight of which he, also, nearly falls.
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A little later John says to Mary, "Mother, will we not go back to Bethany? Thou wilt not be able to look upon the sight."
"How can a mother leave her child in the last and bitterest need?" Mary replies, and adds that she has prayed to God for strength and has received it.
A very impressive scene is that in which, after Christ has called out, "My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me?" Zarababel rushes in, as the earth trembles, and cries out that the veil of the Temple is rent in twain. Consternation is upon all faces, and some exclaim, "What if this were the true Savious !"
The last tableau represented the ascension; and the people in the side seats rose to their feet and rushed into the central isles to get a full view of the last scene in the wonderful drama. The play was ended. It was 5 o'clock, and the audience had listened and looked with rapt interest from 8:00 to 12:00 in the forenoon, and from 2:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon. So deep had been the interest that there had hardly been a whisper or a sound. Ten thousand persons had witnessed the play, and thousands were waiting; there being 6,000 strangers in the town.
As we left the theatre, the question on all sides was, "What do you think of it?" And a question immediately following that was, "Should it-or should it not-be enacted everywhere?"
The only reasonable answer to the latter question would seem to be: The dramatized representation of Christ's suffer- ing and death teaches a fuller lesson than printers' type has ever done; why not let the people see it?
ZURICH
As we approached Zurich from Lake Constance, by railroad, we passed through a country with cultivated farms and orchards and strips of forest land, similar to that in Canada between Sarnia and Toronto. It was not the hill country one would expect in the land of the Alps. Zurich itself is on a rise of ground, showing at a glance its streets and churches. Hotel Bellevue, where we stopped, is on a square, within sight of the old church of Zwingli. This church has no spire, and pre- sents a chapel-like appearance. The Dissenters called it their "meeting-house." A large bronze statue of Zwingli is in front of the church on a pedestal. Our guide took us to another church, not far away, which had two spires, but was as plain as it well could be except for the stained-glass windows at one end. The wooden seats were unpainted, but at each pew door hung an extra seat, to be used when needed, showing that the attendance was sometimes large. This church was 347 years old, yet was in as good condition as one in the United States of fifty.
We went through the shopping district mostly in arcades. Everything a traveler needs is to be seen. All goods imported from America are, however, one-third higher in price than at home. We crossed the river to the Pestalozzi Hof, where is a collection of the works of Pestalozzi's life time. Pestalozzi's portrait in oil was very gratifying. The eyes were large and dark, the complexion ruddy, and the nose was sharp at the ridge and spreading toward the base, betokening character. This feature was not so noticeable in his marble statue nor in other
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portraits of him. The models he used in teaching were all there; the cubes and squares in wood; circles in plaster, and maps and many other things. Here, also, was the portrait of Lavator. In a reading-room were rows of magazines, and in the English ones we found some interesting items. There was a place to register, and we found the names of some New York people there.
The Museum contained all sorts of old china and costumes of the native forefathers, besides the usual number of busts of Greek and Roman heroes.
The statue of Charlemagne stands near that of Zwingli. He is well called Charles the Great, for he said to the provinces he governed, "Come together in a body and present your grievances, and we will see what can be done."
It was the first parliament, and gave liberty of speech, which means free thought and a free man. Its effects are to be seen in Zurich today, which city is noted for its scientific re- search and its modern methods of study.
From Zurich to Lucerne we pass Lake Maggoire and Lake of Zug. The villages at the foot of the hills made fine pictures on the way.
LUCERNE, INTERLAKEN, GENEVA LUCERNE
This most beautiful city is on a lake of the same name, and is crescent shaped. The principal street follows the shore of the lake and is lined with white "pensions," or hotels, all vying with each other. Back of these are upright hills, but with vel- vety lawns, and garden patches, and often, a cottage perched high above all the rest. The mountain Pilatus is to the right, with clouds encircling it and a railway leading to its top. Lake Lucerne acts as a mirror to the cloud-capped and snow-clad mountains, whose tops retain their ice the year through, while their sides display all shades of green, and are reflected in the quiet waters below, often unruffled by a breeze. Many shrines and statues are to be seen along the shore; one of Christ with arms extended, as if saying to the waters, "Peace, be still." At Altdorf is the chapel of William Tell, whom Schiller im- mortalized. Not far from it is his statue. He stands with his son beside him and his bow over his shoulder.
There are but 5,000 Protestants among the 30,000 people of Lucerne. The Swiss are a warlike people, and when not needed at home are employed by other nations. The guard of the Pope at the Vatican are Swiss soldiers. In 1792 the Jacobins stoned the Tuilleries, furious at the approach of the Austro- Prussian army for the defence of the king. Two battalions of the Swiss Guards were conquered by the Revolutionists, and the remainder fell in the discharge of their duty. Col. Von Pfyffer proposed the monument called "The Lion," to their memory. It is on a rock cliff sixty feet high. The lion in death defends the charge intrusted to him. It was sculptured
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by Ahorn, after a model by Thorwaldsen. Vines hang from above, trees are all around, and there are seats for those who may wish to ponder on the fidelity of their countrymen or the character of the true soldier. The shops near it are filled with models of it, small and large, in wood or ivory, and varying in price from forty cents to twenty dollars.
Near the carved lion is the Glacier Garden , which can be en- tered for a franc (20 cents). In 1872, in excavating for a house, nine of the pot holes of an ancient glacier were discov- ered, the largest thirty-one feet deep and twenty inches across. Water going into these gave a rotary motion to the stones in them, making them round or nearly so. It is a real illustration of the phenomena of glaciers. In buildings are various Alpine animals, and other sights to interest the traveler.
One day was planned for us to ascend the Righi, so we took boat to Vitznau and ascended, two cars at a time, at the rate of twenty-five feet to the hundred. The rock is conglomerate, and as we went up, the little lakes appeared, there being fourteen in sight from the highest point. We passed one village with a church, and its red roof in the group of white buildings made a pretty picture. There were some farms on this high range. The road has a double track, and cars were going down as we were going up. We thought again and again that our getting-off place must be near, but still up we went. Some garrulous Ger- mans left us at one point, and a girl came out with a platter of peaches and pears, at two for ten cents. Unfortunately after purchase we discovered that the peaches were cling stones. At last, at the very top, we stopped, and from the steps and win- dows of a very large hotel, looked upon a sight never to be for- gotten. We had seen, as we came up the heights, clusters of mountain peaks, but here was an expanse of two hundred miles
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of snow-clad and grassy mountains. Some were pointed, some were round-topped, some had long ridges, and on one was a con- vent. We thought at once of St. Bernard dogs, and how friend- ly they would look to a traveler lost in such a place. There was scarcely a dividing line between the clouds and the mountains. They had similar shapes and the connecting link was not miss- ing. The sight was a glorious one. The sun shone down with August heat and the wind lulled, but after luncheon the party scattered in pursuit of souvenirs. One gathered flowers like the wild larkspur; another bought a thistle (a blue flower with sharp thorns,) and many gathered the eidelweis, but the latter lost its chaste beauty by being placed with branches of ever- green. One trophy was a fox's tail, which had a goat's foot attached as a handle, the whole to be used as a fly brush. As we had three hours to stay, six of the party of eighty concluded to walk down the Righi. The cars descend very slowly, and one of the ladies gave up the attempt to walk, and came aboard. She was fined two dollars, but on account of not knowing of the rules of the railroad, was let off by paying one. Although flushed and stiff from the effort, none of the others would admit they were anything but benefited. The memory of that high mountain top, often swept by storms and covered with snow, suggests the reason why the Greeks selected the mountains as the home of the Gods.
CHAUSSURES
CHAMONIE, SWITZERLAND
LUCERNE TO INTERLAKEN
By Brunig Pass from Lucerne to Interlaken, the first town is Alpnach, and from there we rose higher and higher, looking down on valleys with small groups of houses; seeing frequent waterfalls, and all around the green grassy slopes, made fresh by constant moisture. The scene was as perfect as a picture. We followed a small lake four miles and then wound up the pass 3,396 feet, descending on the other side to Meiringen, where we took the boat for Interlaken. Rain had been falling at times all the way, and after we got on board the steamer there came a perfect down-pour. The deck canopies had been taken down, and we were crowded into the cabins, very much cramped for space, and sitting on our satchels or anything available. An English lady traveling with her son, said she had visited the place twenty-eight years before. She wondered if we were not bothered with having to wait for laggard members of our party at different points, and when we told that the half-hour of grace granted to all always brought every one to the trysting place, she thought ours was a well-disciplined party.
Interlaken is between lakes Brienz and Thun, and facing our hotel, "The Jungfrau," is the famous Jungfrau itself, show- ing between two green mountains like a triangle of snow. Curiosity was aroused to get behind the hills that hide it, and the next morning, a carriage ride to Grindelwald, from which point ascent could be made, was taken. We stopped at Lauter- brunnen on the way, for water for the horses-and beer for their drivers, and the ladies took the opportunity to buy photo- graphs. We took luncheon at "The Bear," at Grindelwald, and
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two parties were made up for the ascent. The lower glacier is easy of access, but very deceptive as to distance and height. The path is broad but full of rolling stones, and the alpenstock must be used to keep from stumbling. There is a knack in using this mountain staff, which should be planted firmly each time, and slightly in the rear in going up, instead of being thrust forward. When we reached the last elevation we found a small house and restaurant, where photographs, wine and beer were sold, and half a franc was required for a visit to the Ice Glen. We crossed a bridge, had blankets thrown over us and stood in the most glorious temple ever wrought by mortal hands. The crystal pillars and iridescent arches cannot be described.
In descending we saw a window in the rocks, which our guide humorously told us was the hole the Almighty made when he pushed the rocks aside to make room for the glacier. The absence of cattle was accounted for by the explanation that they had been driven to pastures higher up, the milk needed being brought down each day by the mountaineers, and the remainder made into cheese. Our guide gave us the mountain bugle-call, the echo of which came back to us after some seconds, from far up the steep. He could speak English perfectly, having once lived in London. On the descent, we were surprised at the height and steepness of the way we had climbed. Alpenstocks were in greater demand than in going up. The path zigzagged all the way, to prevent too great momentum. Grindelwald val- ley was below us, and the mountains Schreckhorn and Matter- horn, each 13,000 feet high, were to be seen. The Hotel Jung- frau, at Interlaken, has in front of it scarlet geraniums, the fig tree and banana trees, all growing within sight of the ever snow-capped Jungfrau.
We bade a lingering good-bye to beautiful Interlaken, and
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proceeded past Thun to Berne. The only sights old Berne could show were a church of the 13th century, with the wise and the foolish virgins on its front, those at the left having oil in their lamps, and the ones on the right having theirs upside down; an equestrian statue of Rudolph; a clock tower with a circle of small wooden bears coming in sight when a wooden man above strikes the hour, and a mile or more of arcade. Not quite all, either, as there is a "bear pen," and a Museum of Natural His- tory. The bear pen had four old bears in shaggy, bedraggled furs, who caught crackers or apples from the sight-seers.
Lusanne, our next stopping place, is on a high elevation, and was full of life. A large public building was being erected, and the streets were full of wagons carrying stones or lumber. Electric cars passed in front of Hotel 'Gibbon, where we stopped, and in the back yard were the large horse chestnut trees and the arbor under which Gibbon wrote "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire." The hotel was full of guests. An Irish cler- gyman present, in speaking of the beauties of Erin's Isle, tried to explain why the Irish drink whiskey and are always poor. He said those things were the result of wakes and the social nature of the people.
We took cars to Vevey and stopped at Territet, where elec- tric cars took us to the Castle of Chillon. As we entered, we were told what part was in the 12th century, built by Petit Char- lemagne, and were shown through the prisoners' apartments. Immense pillars with arches rose from the stony ground, and on some were rings to which men were chained with only a yard's length in which to move. A slanting rock was a bed. We saw the cross-piece of wood to which the prisoner was hung, and the window through which his body was thrown into the lake. The Bernese in the 15th century owned the castle. In the
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banquet room was a broad, low fire-place, used for cooking pur- poses, and on the crane hung the spits and other cooking uten- sils. On the wall was a scene called "Returning from the Bat- tle," in which Charles the Bold was one of the figures. The windows were long and narrow, and through them the sun poured its rays, making a strong, bright light. The Judges' room above was of like shape, and with similar chimney place, but with seats around the sides and in the center. In some rooms, the chimney was in a corner, and the hearth several inches below the floor. We could look through this chimney to the sky above. The ceiling was of carved wood, and had been built in the 12th century. The castle is fairly well preserved, and stands out prominently, giving an extended view. The little island with its three small trees; the historic lake and the "pen- sions" and hotels can all be seen. It is the resort of the literati of the world.
We arrived at Martigny at seven o'clock in the evening. This is near the great St. Bernard Pass. Our hotel was as good as the village afforded, but was not luxurious. A large tower on the hillside was built by Pepin II, and used as a fort. The next morning we took the Tete Noire Pass to Chamonix. We took lunch at Tete Noir. Many of our party walked the whole distance, but the walk was needed, to bring relish for the sour bread, salt soup and kidney stew that awaited us. Coming down from Tate Noir we walked, as it was said to be the most dangerous part of the route. The mountains rise to a height of 7,000 feet, the gorge is filled with rocks and a river of foam rushes over them. The mountains reach down to the water's edge, so that the carriage road has, in places, been cut into their sides.
We met tourists walking or riding, continually, and were obliged to wait in the wider places for them to pass. We
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gathered new kinds of maiden-hair fern and thistles, and sweet balm and lavender. But, among all the rocks we rested upon, we saw no living thing except one bird. Lichen in various forms, pine cones and burrs were abundant.
The wild scenery of the Pass suddenly gave place to a hos- telry and a bleak landscape covered with boulders, among which cows and goats, with their ever-tinkling bells, were trying to gather herbage for their evening meal. At the last Chamonix was reached by an inclined plane, smooth as a floor. We could see the road as it doubled on itself, and Mont Blanc appearing, like a ragged, barren cliff, above the clouds. A part of it, cov- ered with perpetual snow, looked in upon me as I wrote. The next morning sixty of our party rode on donkeys to the Mer de Glace, a guide with an alpenstock going with each. Two hours and more were occupied in ascending. Half of the party crossed the glacier, and following an iron railing met their guides and donkeys much farther down the mountain. Telescopes were provided at each hotel at Chamonix for guests to see the tourists on Mer de Glace.
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