1.The life of the peasants in the higher and moreremote regionsof the Alps has remained unchangedfor centuries.Far away from cities and railways，the mountain peasant lives as his ancestors did，and likely in the very house where his great-grandfather was born.
2.The house is probably a large unpainted two-storied building made of square pine logs，with the ends projecting at the corners，and sometimes carved into pretty shapes.It has little windows，generally filled with flowers.The roof is made of large boards，and is kept in its place by the help of poles and stones.
3.The village of Obstalden consists of a hundred such houses，standing on the high terrace of a mountain slope above the Wallen See，one of the most delightful little lakes in Switzerland.The lake is seventeen miles long，and two or three miles wide.It is clear as crystal，five hundred feet deep，and closed in by a nearlyperpendicularwall of rocks two thousand feet high.
At a little distance are ridges and peaks nine thousandfeet above sea-level，with white glaciers waterfalls.
4.The first and most pleasant recollection that one has of the village，after the wonderful scenery，is the perfectsimplicity of the people，and the familiargreeting ofthe stranger that comes from every lip.Every one seems to know him，every one speaks to him as a friend.
5.It seems absurd to call the hundred houses scattered on the green slope a town.The grass grows everywhere，quite up to the door-steps.There is no street in the place，except the white，well-paved post-road that goes by，not through，the village.Little，stony goat-paths lead up to and around the houses，and there is hardly a fence to be seen in the place.
6.But it is a town.There is the little stone church，with the white steeple and the big-faced clock outside，and the stone floors and the plain wooden benches within.There，on the south end of the church，ispainted in great letters and figures the big sun-dial ，used long before the village had a clock.Behind the little stone church is the village church-yard.Near by，in the old，old school-house，there are the happy children and their teacher，who is also the village pastor.
7.The big brown houses are scattered over the sloping meadow，each of them large enough for two or three families.Every house is as clear as any one could wish.They are comfortable enough，though very simply furnished.Rude benches take the place of chairs；there are no carpets on the floor，few pictures on the wall，and little of the luxurythat is common in the homesof most farmers in our country.
8.In almost every peasant‘s house stands an old-fashioned loom.It occupies the best corner of thebest room.It is of more importance than anything else in the house，for by it is earned a great part of the income of the family.Silk cloth is woven for the greatexportersat Zürich，and the women are glad to earnone or two shillings a day，by weaving from dawnevening twilight.
9.While the women are weaving，the men cut grass and wood，cultivate a few potatoes，look after their little dairies，and prepare for the winter.Those of the women who are not engaged at the loom help the men out of doors.Cheese of goats’milk is made here in abundance.
10.It is an interesting sight to see the village goat-herd，usuallya young man，startoff e ver y mor ning，driving all the goats ofthe village to the grass on the higher mountain slopes.His is a strange life：all the long summer day he is alone with his goats among the mountains.Evening twilight sees him at the headof his flock，winding his way down to the village.A great wreath of pink Alpine roses is twined about his hat；perhaps another rose-wreath is slung over his shoulders.Sometimes he sings one of his Alpine songs，sometimes he plays on a rude flute，as the goats in a long line follow him down to the group of stalls called “the village of the goats.”
11.The goat village consists of scores of little，low，covered pens，lined with forest leaves，and as snug as canbe.Every goat knows its own stall，and promptlyentersit.-“It is a poor，foolish goat，”says the herdsman，“that does not know its own milking-place.”The cheese which is made from the goat‘s milk is sent to the cities，and a large part of it is exported to other lands.