Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. I.djvu/322

338 partly of pleasure, partly of solemnity, were to be found.

An immense barracks, capable of entertaining four thousand persons, was used as a refreshment hall. Each Canton had its own division of table and seats; and each division its own appointed entertainers. The place for the great shooting matches was Enghe. The prizes were contained in a temple, around which waved the flags of all the Cantons. Omnibuses, crowded with people nodding to their friends, hurrahing, and waving hats and handkerchief, ran upon the road between Berne and Enghe through clouds of dust; but every body in the very best humor.

Every Canton had contributed its share to the great Industrial Exhibition in the city. The beautiful articles produced in asphaltum, from the Canton Neufchâtel, and the embroidery from St. Gall and Appenzell, were the most remarkable to me. It approaches almost to the incredible, to see what art can produce in these respects. The least cheering circumstance of which appears to me to be, that these beautiful productions of art foster the taste for personal luxury in dress and furniture. This cannot be good. It belongs to heathenism. Immense draperies of stuffs beautifully arranged, show what this industrious little Switzerland exports, in this branch, to other countries, to the East and West Indies!

That which especially pleased me at this Federal festival, was its spirit and temper. One could have fancied one's self to be at an immense, joyful family-feast. All was cordiality, kindness, and thorough