Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-01-06
Mist&IIantuus.
From the Correspondence of the n. Y Observer.
Monks of ST. Bernard.

The weather was threatening when we sci Of
from Maringy, and we had m Any torebot ngs lha
The dogs of 81. Bernard might have to look US up
il The storm should come before we reached The
hospce. A char a-banc, a narrow carriage ir
which we sat, three in a line, with The tandem
horses, was 10 convey rs 10 The village of Liddes
On leaving The valley and crossing he nver Drance
we soon commenced the ascent, by The maiesri,
heights on ether hand. A terrible tale of devasra
lion and misery, OF sublime iorlilude and heroic
courage is told OF the valley Of Bagnes, ahere the
ice had made mighy barrier against The descend
ing waers, which accumulated so rapidly that
tunnel was cut through The frozen dam with in
credible toll, when il burst through and swep
madly over The country below, bearing destruction
upon its bosom. In Two hours some four hundred
houses were destroyed with ,hiry-four lives, and
half a million dollars worth Of properly. We were
lour hours and half getting up 10 Lddes, where
we had wretched dinner, and then mounted
horses 10 ride 10 The summit of 'he pass.
The rain, which had been falling al intervals all
The morning, was changed into snow as we got
mo colder regions The path became rouoher and
more difficult, and il was hard 10 believe lha, even
the indomirabe spirit of Napoleon could have car.
tied an army, with all the munitions Of war, over
such a roue as this. Yet The passage now is
smooth and easy compared with what it was when,
IN 1909, he crossed the Alps.
Alter leaving the miserable village OF ST. Pierre,
through which Roman Catholic procession was
passing, and we had an opportunity of refusing 10
lake of orr hats, though some Of The peasants in.
sisted on our SO doing, we came up 10 heights
were no trees and few shrubs were growing, fiow-
eT' sometimes would put their sweet iaces up
through The snow and smile on Us as we passed,
AMI stopped 10 gather Them as emblems of beauty
and happiness in the midst of desolation and death
The most OF the travellers on their upward way,
were mouned on mules bul a lew were on loot,
and among these was one OF The monks Of the
hosPce who with couple of blooming Swiss
uanses. was returning 10 his quarters from visit
below. We passed one or two cottages, and a
mouse Of stone which had been built away up here
o' he reception OF benighred travellers and after
'o''some journey of four hours jus, al sunset, we
1''e upon The Hospce, large three story sone
mouse on the height OF a mountain more than 5000
,es' aooVe the sea, the highest inhabiIated spot in
europe 10 shel!er those who are compelled to
o'0's MS formidable pass in winer, when The paths
e iat down underneath The snow, and travellers are
- "anger oi being overlakeu by storms, or over
''ne with fatigue and sinking in The depths Of The
'"S' mis- hospice has been founded, and sustained
'"7 summer season, as now, il is merely large
''''' "heTe pleasure parties are drawn by curiosity
VIZ" he monks and iheir establishments, famed
r' world over Tor its hospitality and seIfdenyine
|a,'y' The snow was falling fasi as we ascend.
"' rugged path, and al least six inches OF it lay
:" '09 ground at The top Twas glad to have reach
> IN The midst OF such a storm. I, gave Tie
eu picture Oi the hospice when its walls ant
.''''u' h'cs anl kind sympa'hies are needed 70
''' and exhausted pilgrims Such were SONS