Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. I.djvu/144

160 of refined and elegant manners, living in a beautiful house, in rooms with silk hangings and antique splendor. They expressed themselves with displeasure against the Diet, which had lately met, and which, in its foolish democratism, had unanimously rejected a law which the government of the Cantons had conscientiously elaborated. Landamman E. occupied himself in collecting genealogies and records of the ancient noble families of the Cantons. He communicated to me a new variation of the old tradition of the immigration of the Swedes into Switzerland, and which strengthened it. The suggestion was interesting,—that they entered the country at eleven o'clock in the day, and that in memory thereof, it was ordained that every day, when the clock struck eleven, the people should pray a Pater Noster and three Aves,—a custom which is still held in reverence by the people of Schwytz. The high-born couple conducted themselves towards us politely, but with coldness. Not a breath of hospitality refreshed the visit. My friend, with his mildness and sensibility, was quite depressed by it.

In the evening of the same day, we paid a visit to a certain M. Kid, to whom we had a letter. We found in him a pale man, of gentle demeanor, and of an extremely interesting character. After a life of much labor and suffering, he had attained to a quiet independence, and could now wholly devote himself to those literary occupations which were dear to him above every thing. They consisted, principally, in collections having reference to his native town—Brunnen. His little abode was a museum of memories,