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We passed through 3 tunnels before making our first stop, - at Oltens, - after crossing the Aare. The country looks much like the Black Forest region.
I met a Pole on the train who is an Austrian, - one of those ^[[insertion]] to be [[/insertion]] forced out by the Swiss government. He comes from Przemysl, in Galicia. He expects to be called any day. He left home (his people are wealthy manufacturers) because he wanted to marry a poor orphan girl. Now he will not marry. This is only one of the many tragedies which I have recently witnessed.
There is no nobility in Switzerland, but many millionaires. In Basel he said there are 103!
We reached Berne at 6 P.M., and put up at the Hotel de L'Etoile, or Hotel zu Sterve, 30 Aarbergergasse, a short distance from the station.

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The war situation is very uncertain, and there is much excitement here. The Swiss will also mobilize, - it is said about 450,000 men. This is especially hard on them because the last two years were not good for tourists or crops, and this season is broken up by the war excitement just when the good results were beginning, and also in the midst of harvest time.
The Swiss strike me as a brighter, more self-reliant people than I have seen for some time. It is said that they get along harmoniously, notwithstanding the fact that the population is composite, and there are three official languages: German, French and Italian.
I have seen a large number of very red-cheeked girls and women, and some men. It does not seem to be a normal condition. It has been suggested that wine-drinking may be the cause.