(SWITZERLAND TRAVEL LETTER).  ALS. 4pg. 5 ½” x 8 ½”. July 4, 1878. Hotel Du Lac, Moritz, Switzerland.  A lengthy autograph letter signed “Mother” about travel around Switzerland.  It is addressed to Emma, and the envelope is to Mrs. J. Minis Hays of Philadelphia.  Two people wrote the letter, and it states in part: “Over 6000 feet above the sea!  My Dearest Emma, Never did I think I should see it snowing on the Fourth of July! When I rose this morning at six, it was snowing & was of course, cold. I slept under a blanket, down ‘puff’ and quilt; and have on this morning all my winter clothing, as I had in January and still am cold: thermometer is our room is 55: we shall have a fire. I hope you are not oppressed with heat today, or when you read this. We have a fine, large & very pleasant room, with the sun shining bright in it, wh[ich] takes off the sharpness of the cold. And I put my head out, to see the American flag flying on our hotel, with the English, Swiss & many other flags.  We left Bellaggio on Tuesday morning at ten & arrived at Calico, (in a thunder storm) in 2 hours by boat: our coaches were awaiting us, each with 4 horses, and in the rain, we drove off, but it soon ceases, we had a pleasant afternoon, and a most charming drive; we stopped at Cidaveannue to dine, & reached Romoutogno where there was a good large hotel (our room secured) & we there spent our first night in Switzerland, the next morning at nine, we left, and ascended nearly the whole distance to St Moritz a most enchanting drive. Mountains & cascades and fields of thousands of acres filled with the most beautiful wild flowers, & most of them entirely new to us; Mr. Waldo Burnett was assiduous in picking huge bouquets of them for your mother who was nearly wild over them. We arrived here at five o’clock last evening and found our rooms ready for us: this is a large hotel & new (2 years ago) & said to be the best here; it certainly is very fine & nearly all the rooms are taken! I was impressed to see it lighted with gas. This place is very charming, certainly; mountains to: before us, covered with snow; and the views are beautiful; this is written before breakfast & I have not yet walked out. (It is now snowing thick & fast) We breakfast at 9 1/2; dine at one; and have ‘souper’ at 7-1/2, wh[ich] is a very substantial meal.  Imagine dearest Emma three snowfalls, between the time your father mentioned to you 6 o'clock this very morning & ten when we had finished breakfast & you can imagine the cold of this Atmosphere & yet I do not suffer from the cold at home it is a totally different sensation, quite exhilarating although your teeth chatter & you are purple about the mouth & hands quite numb with the call. I took breakfast in my camels hair dress made by Mdmle Pourmier my fur (Canada) under an outer of the same & a shell over my arm & was warm until I had my tea but forgot it all when I had a good view of our surroundings the sun came out & the snow covered mountains in front & the glacier beyond the two snow mountains at the side of the home glistened like Island diamonds it was exquisitely beautiful. While it was snowing one could not see the glory of it the wind comes the snow off somewhere & with all this cold the green lawn in front between us & the mountains is perfectly yellow with wild flowers not buttercups alone but yellow daisies & pansies & at least eight different kinds of yellow flowers all growing together then you will see a field perfectly pink throughout & another more purple & in some everything together & so thick that but little grass is seen never dreamed of such things & where it is so cold you would say no flowers could nourish Mrs. Mamie has just shown me a card with 6 large Edelweiss pressed & arranged upon it in the most artistic manner with a large bit of moss & lichens as a base for the stem to arise from She bought it here & I shall look for some She says there are more the 300 varieties of flowers in these mountains & a fine book has been prepared on the subject. I shall try for that too.”  The letter is in fine condition overall and it is lined blue paper.

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