The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-25

BY and by; deep and dark below them on their
right were awful preclplce and roaring tor
rent tremendous mountains rose In every vista.
The gigantic landscape, uncheered by q touch
OF changing light or 8 solitary ray Of sun, was
yet terribly distinct in its ferocity. The hearts
Of two lonely men might shrink q little If they
had to win their way for miles and hours among
a legion Of silent and motionless men-mere
men like themselves-al looking at them with
fixed and frowning front but how much more
when the legion is of Natures mightiest works,
and the frown may turn to fury In an instantl
As they assembled. the road became gradually
mors rugged and difficult. But the spirits OF
Vendale rose az they mounted higher, leaving go
much more Of the road behind them conquered.
Obenreizer spoke little, and held on with a deter
endurance, were well qualified for the expedition.
Whatever the born mountaineer read in the wea-
Their tokens, that was illegible to the other, he
kept to himself.
"Shall we get across to-day2n asked vendale.
"No," replied the other. you see how much
deeper the snow lies here than it lay half q
league lower. The higher we mount. the deeper
the snow will lie. Walking is hall wadlng even
now. And the days are so shortl II we get as
high ss the Fifth Refuge, and he tonight at the
Hospice. we shall do we'll"
sis there no danger of the weather rising in
the night" asked Vendale, anIiously, "and
showing us up 2"
"Tnesre is danger enough about u.s." said
obenreizer, with q cautious glance onward and
upward, "to render silence our best policy. You
have heard of the Bridge OF the Ganther2 2"
81 have crossed 1t once"
"In the summer 2"
"Yes in the travelling season."
eyes but it is another thing ct this season -
with 0 sneer, as though he we're out Of temper.
"This is not 0 time Of year, or . state of things,
on an Alpine pass. that you gentlemen holiday
travellers know much about"
"You are my. guide" said Yendale, good
humoredly. II trust to you"
ar am your guide, " said Obenreizer, "snd I
win guide you 70 your journeys end. There is
They had made q turn into q desolate and dis
mai ravine, where the snow lay deep below
them, deep. above them, deep on every side.
While speaking Ooenreizer stood pointing ct the
bridge, and observing Vendale's face, with q
very singular expression on his own.
"lI !, as guide, had sent you over there, in
advance, and encouraged you to give q shout or
two, you nigh have brought down upon yourself
tuns snd tuns and tuns of snow, that would not
only have struck you dead, but buried you deep
OF Q blow"
"No doubt" said Vendale. ....
"No doubt. But that is not what / have to
do as guide. So pass silently. Or, going IS we
go, our indiscretion might else crush and bury
me. Let us go onl"
There was . great accumulation Of snow on
vic UIluk0 buOh AlOuo
Of snow overhung item from projecting
masses Of rock, that they. might nave been
making their way through q stormy sky of white
clouds. Using his staff skilrfully,. sounding as
he went, and looking upward, with bent
shoulders, as it were to resist the mere
Vendale closely followed. They were yet IN the
midst Of their dangerous way, when there came
Q mighty rush, followed by o sound as Of thun-
der. Obenreizer clapped his hand on Vendale's
mouth, and pointed to the track behind them.
It's aspect had been wholly changed in a moment:
into the torrent ut the bottom Of the gulf below.
Their appearance at the solitary Inn not far
beyond this terrible Bridge, ELECTED many e1-
pressions Of establishment from the people shut
up in the house. 1--WE stay but TO rest" said
Obenrelzer, shaking the snow from his dress at
occasion to get across : tell them, Vendale."
,"Assuredly, l have very pressing occasion. 1
must cross"
"You hear, all Of you. My friend has very
pressing occasion to get across, and We want no
advice and no help. I am as good q guide, my
us to eat and drink"
In exactly the same way, and In nearly the
same words, when it was coming on dark and
they had struggled through the ,greatly.ln-
creased difficulties of the road, and had at last
reached their destination for the night, Oben-
I6lZ5E bhlu w buO hctOh1ohOo P0oPtS -
pice, gathering about them at the fire, while
they we're yet in the act Of getting their wet
shoes of and shaking the snow from their
clothes
ait is well to understand one another, friends
oil. This gentleman"
"Has," SAID vendale, readily taking him up
with q smile, every pressing occasion to get
across. Must CROSS" .
"You hear 2-has very pressing occasion to get
across, must cross. We want no advice and no
help. I am mountsin-born and act as guide.
Do not worry I'd by talking about it, but let US
have supper, and wine, and bed"
All through the intense cold Of the night. the
same awful stiffness. Again OF sunrise, no SUM-
ny tinge to gid or redden the snow. The same
i~nterminable waste Of deathly white; the same
immovable air the same monotonous gloom In
the sky.
Travellers p q friendly voice called to them
from the door, after they we're afoot, knapsack
on back and staff in hand, as yesterday; "re-
collect There are five places Of shelter, near
together, on the dangerous road before you ;
and there is the wooden cross, and there is the
next Hospice. Do not stray from the track. II
the IhurTnente comes on, take shelter instantly"
"The trade Of these poor devils ~ said Oben-
reizer to his friend, with o contemptuous back
ward wave of his hand toward the voice. "How
they stick to their tradel You Englishmen say
We SWISS are mercensry. Truly it does look like
it.n