re
yesterday? Why, our would-be gallant ship-board friend. Strange to say,
he was sober, and more strange, he appeared pleased to see me. He wanted
to take me to all kinds of places, and treat me to all kinds of good
things; but further, strange(?) to relate, I shook him for the company
of a few native saints, for there was a meeting that evening which I
attended. I had to speak too, in English, of course, with one of the
missionaries interpreting. It was an odd experience.
The postman has just been here with your note. I was very sorry the news
from you was not better. I am blaming myself for tiring you out too much
with my sight seeing. Send me at least a card everyday to this address,
_please_. I have thought to go through the country to Bern, but I
suppose all the lakes and mountains of Switzerland look much alike. I am
quite satisfied with Lucerne. I was very much interested in what your
father said about "Mormonism." If our prayers are of any avail, we'll
"get him" yet.
Before I close this long letter, and I must do so now--I want to tell
you of an incident that occurred yesterday. I was taking a stroll up
above the town, by myself, for I will admit I was in a "mood." There are
a lot of monks in Lucerne. You can see them on the street, fat,
rolly-poly looking men, bare, oddly-cropped heads, and outwardly clad in
what looks like a dressing gown. Well, I was curious to see the convent
where the monks live a life of ease, I suppose to get used to the
eternal "rest" which they expect when they get to heaven, of which I
have my "doubts." However, I did not find the convent, nor did I see any
monks, but as I was walking along an unfrequently traveled road, I met a
little boy and girl, walking towards me, hand in hand. They were crying.
When they saw me, they wiped their eyes and stopped. I saw they were
poorly clad, and, somewhat dirty. I became interested in them, but they
were so shy that it was with difficulty I got them to remain. They
looked at the coppers I held out, but they did not move until I placed
a silver piece beside them. Their eyes rounded out, then, and the little
girl became brave enough to come and take them. Well, I tried my German
on them, but they were, evidently, too Swiss to understand me--I was at
the time making a whistle from a small willow which I had cut from the
wayside. I seated myself on the bank and went on making my whistle. The
children watched me pound the bark, then twist off the
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