From collection Frances Willard Journal Transcripts
notes into tne air, competing for recognition with those of cows & cowherds, goats & pigs, was like a voice for regions far & pure. The Swiss are building here the "Fortress St Gothard," a telephone wire center in the hospice & a modern [...]. gave to our sharpened appetites, delicious warm milk, fresh eggs & mountain honey reminding me of that we had in Athens long ago from Mt Hymmetos. The ride home at a brisk trot down those corr[or coss]elated precipices, was something that made Isabel's tired nerves suffer exceedingly. I didn't mind it. She fears some things & I others; for instances [FEW's word] doubtful acting horses are my bane & precipices are hers;-we wanted greatly to get some nodding cotton flowers fleecy & white didn't saw a chestnut colored pig nice enough for a pet. I shall never forget the peaceful Hospenthal [?] or the long valley with [................ ] & flocks & pleasant bells-the men women & children tending them; the way hills[?] sh[..] the soft sky bending above relentless J. mountains-the Kresenau[ . ] -God [?] on the ............................ dare to stop[?]
July 21, 1893
Nannie's Birth Day-the steadfast, true & tried. (1854)
Yesterday such good letters from Nan (about visit to village whence LaFayette debarked for Washington) from Mary Livermore with dolorous accts of finances in America; & from Susan B. Anthony glorying in the splendid growth of women.
-within 10 [4 crossed out] miles of where we were on the summit of St Gothard yesterday, rise the Rhine, Rhone, Reuss & Ticino!
-One can now go a thousand miles a day-between Chicago & New York City-in my own electric Land-events are moving-people are happier than they were-less isolated-more cosmopolitan.
-Had vision in the night of a novel I might write in which a woman becomes Pres't of the United States after a complete Revolution which she leads!
-we drove to Realp, had some of Isabel's choice tea cream- softened [?] white flavor & fragrance of the exquisite new mown hay. We telegraphed Nannie. Beautiful letter from M. B. Willard.
July 22, 1893
The event o' the morning was the finding of a flea on my forearm by Cossie who declares she can't be beat in that branch of investigation. The other time I was in Switz.-68 & '69 I was devoured alive by fleas-& the only time I cried was for that reason. Beautiful sleep-good appetite much occupation. Dailies, Herald, U. Signal, Rev[.] of Revs. & no end of books have we but on principal & 'cause we came for that we are mostly out o' doors. We walked well over to Hospenthal & it was miry-muddy-C. hailed a carriage & we went to the pleasant hotel, looked over the London illustrated papers, had tea & drove back in the rain. Read A. C. Swinbourne's "Grace Darling"-a grand poem. Possible
