The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-11-11
IN Alpine Adventure.

riage, thinking we should get Oh quite
as fast and perhaps more pleasantly
on foot; and by taking short cuts
across the zigzags, we soon got ahead
OF our conveyance. L had teen ovel
this same pass twice or thrice before
when a happy, mean an unhappy
bachelor, and | remembered the by
paths pretty well; and we were sooI
III sight of the Inn where we intended
TO pass the night. not very far from
the summit of the pass.
As We tOilcd on, we overlook
gentleman apparently an Enslishman
and a little boy. L believe that, feel
ing pretty sure, from tic general ap'
pcarance of the man, that we were
compatriots. i said something tC
him, remarked that il was a fine eve
ming. or, that the scenery was grand
Il forget what ; lie, however, made
some monsyliabic reply, and did moi
feel inclined to fratcrnize, SO we pass
ed Oh. Still l took a hasty note OF
him. lie was d NAL apparently OF
some twtnty-eight or thirty years oil
age, of a delicate frame and almost
feminine c~ountenauce. One thing
particularly noticed, he had a slight
but peculiar mark under the left eye,
what Box or Cox might have called a
strawberry mark. The boy that was
with him, a child of not more than six
years old, was evidently his son, fol
both and my wife traced a strong
resemblance between the pair; and
the little fellow looked very pale and
tired, as his father dragged him up
the steep ascent.
We soon left them fur behind, and
my wife remarked that il was a curl,
Gus circumstance that those two
should be thus going Owe the pass
for VIC had seen no other carriage Oh
the road which could belong to them
and she naturally thought it very hard
that such a young child should be
forced to make such a tedious journey
OH foot.
However, when we reached oul
destination we thought no more o.
them ; ana after a pleasant and appe'
Using supper, in which red trout
read them now in the Uniformed nc
unimportant item, we strol,ed out
again and watched the white glorie:
of tho rising moon, spreading over
the highland valley in which we were
When we entered the hotel again
and went into the sale q mdHgey' fol
some coffee, we discovered the young
or of our fellow toilers sitting meekiy
by himself, in one corner of the room
"A table was spread for supper before
him, and he was then awaiting the
arrival Of his father.
His large blue eyes looked tired ans
sad his golden curles hung tangled
over his shoulders; no tender hant
had cared for him after his wear,
walk and i saw the tears stealing il
my wife's eyes, as she whispered Il
me "lIe has 40 mother To take care o
him." This, l thought, was u hasiy
conclusion to arrive at, and | said SO
My wife-wiser than /, | suppose
shook herhcad, and entirely disagreed
with me.
W. fingered over or coffee fol
solne time longer than necessary
The patient child sat silent in the dark
corner; now and then the blue eye.
wandered inquiringly toward the
door, but found no answer there. An
hour passed away; but his father-ii
the man VIC had seen was his father
and of this VIC have 10 doubt-neveI
camc.
"lcan't stand This, John" said Laura
10 me, Indignantly. IF somebody
don't give that poor child his supper,
Ill do it myself"
| demonstrated mildly, q don't
think we have any right TO interfere,
my dear. No doubt his father is
taking a nap up stairs, and he will
wake up and be down directly
NAP, indccd!' retorted Laura,
rather savagcly. Indeed, l had no
idea till then that my sweet bride
could be so savage if she chose.
NAP, indeed! with that darling starry
ing in accompanying silence! Eve hall
a mind TO ask which is his room, and
give him "A rousing he won't easily
forget"
This, / thought, would be L highly
improper proceeding on Laura's part
and | ventured to say so. She con-
tented herself with repeating with
greater vehemence than before, Nap,
indeed"
At that moment we heard the heavy
sound of the diligence, and the gay
jingling of the horses bells, as il stop
ped at the door of the hotel. Bold
and muffled passengers, for we were
some 1000 or 5000 feet above the lev
81 of the sea, came into Tie room and
partcok of various drinks; but they
soon cleared out again. The horses
had been changed and, with a great
deal of smacking OF whips, and loud
pcaling of the bell, the huge diligence
pursued its onward ROAD to Italy.
The pale faced golden haired child
still sat quietly in the dark corner.
Once or twice the tired head sank up.
Oh tic little shoulder, and for a mo.
mcnt or two he dropped asleep
Then he would wake up again and
stare at the unkind door, which at nc
opening brought him relief.
After the diligence had been gone
some twenty minutes, and Laura had
rot into q state OF fidgets which
Threatened TO pass all control, the
landlord and head waiter came into
the room, looked at the little boy, and
then talked together yolublv i'm a
whisper, and shook their heads i'm a
mysterious manner. Then the land.
lord advanced straight TO where we
were sitting.
"A Thousand pardoDs for asking
the question, but do monsieur and
madame know anything Of the little
gentleman ~yonder!"
mo, nothing beyond that monsieur
and madame passed the little gentle
man and his father as they assembled
the pass"
lis monsieur aware that the father
is an Englishman!
Well, monsieur had guessed rs
much, but could not say more.
well, il is very strange. IL is
some time since these two arrived.
The father engaged q room and or
dcred supper. The father had said
that his luggage would be deposited
by the diligence; but the diligence
had come and gone, and, though par
ticular inquiries were made, the con-
ductor was quite sure there was no
luggage, such as had been described,
10 be deposited at his hotel.
There must surely have been some
mistake"
Not possible. The authorities are
very particular in these cases. And
where is Monsieur Ia perez"