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was told the following anecdote by a senator
of Berne. Two neiOg hbouringO farmers had
a dispute respecting the right to some adjoining
property, which they could not
compromise, and an action was brought
to determine it. On the day appointed
for the trial, one of the farmers having
dressed himself in his Sunday’s clothes,
called upon his opponent to accompany
him to the judge, when he found his
neighbour at work in his ground, on which
he said, “ Is it possible that you can have
forgotten that our cause is to be decided
to-day ?” “ No,” said the other, “ I have
not forgotten it, but I cannot well spare
the time to g o ; I knew you would be
there, and I am sure you are an honest
man, and will say nothing but the truth.
You will state the case fairly, and justice
will be d o n e a n d so it proved, for the
farmer who attended stated his neighbour’s
claims so clearly, that the cause was
decided against himself, and he returned
to inform his opponent that he had gained
the property.
The peasants in this part of Switzerland
live chiefly upon cheese, potatoes and dried
fru its; but in some situations, cheese alone
forms the principal part of the d ie t; it
gives to the countenance a sallow unhealthy
appearance, and produces cutaneous
eruptions, like the small-pox.
At Brientz and Interlaken, the peasants
were drying their plums in the sun ; this
fruit abounds here, and a spirituous liquor
is made from i t ; eau de prunes. In other
parts of Switzerland cherries are the fruit
which supplies them with spirits, eau de
cerises, or Kercher water. As there are no
vines in this part of Switzerland, nor is
barley grown in sufficient quantity for beer,
the peasantry (even those who are opulent)
have no beverage but water or milk ; nor do
they keep any wine in the house, but they
are in the habit of occasionally taking their
wives and families to the nearest inn,
where they treat them with the best wine
the place affords. Thus they have the advantage
of hearing the news, and mixing in
society, of which they would otherwise be
deprived; for, excepting attending their
church on the Sunday and occasional fairs,
they have seldom any business to take them
from home.
The newspapers published in the Swiss
republics contain scarcely any political ino
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