, 1873-10-26
"A TALE OF THE FUTURE,


| ~ AnII Vt EUE FUlVhE,
| From London Society.
No, alr, I will not-I mover bot. Once oui,
In my life did mako bot for largo sum
aud I.1ost Tint Id .such n humisting why TIM
I reEiaterod VOW not to DO bitlon q sooont
tlmo."
You quito raine my o,trioaity. As tiloro Ia Mt
ohanco Of our settliug by friendly lct tho lttlt
dtanuto as to glnt oxnct species Of abomiuatior
our friend tho costormongor Ia hawking, yoi
should at lonat lot mo havo tho benefit Of you,
frat and Inst experience in tint lno."
Ut is an old atory, now ). but If yon will light
a ohoroot md join mo in another bottle OF Tor
cato, shall lot you into tho secret OF my dislike
to batting.'t 80. i,
Tho speakers vcro both Engishmon, and l,ad
mot by chance at 1ittlo auborgo In IN out-or.
tho-way Village Of the lower Engadino. uayina
dined together, they were having their cgara Il,
opinion brought on tho conversation givon
abovc. . ,,.,. =.
As soop as Madame tho hostess lad supplied
their wants., tho elder Of the two began to rolHto
tho following Incident with nh mir Of veraoitY 30
strongly nlarkod that his listonor found 1t I'm.
posnib1o to doubt tho accuracy Of what he saitl
| "Tho time speak Of ID aomo twenty or flyo-
| a,ld-twonty yea1Y ngo, when the Alpine Club was
still In lis full glory. Thingn wero worry different
thon from whas they aro now. Tie Anile8 Aspo-
oiatiou had not yot been formcd-tlcstned as II
WAS utterly to cast into tic shade its Alpine prc.
| doeeBsor. 'Thoro was no railway ovor Mont
Blanc, and tho idea OF lift to tho hotel on tho
top OF tho aIatterllorn had not yet beou started
in fact, If I rononbor rightly, tho hotel itsolr
had not bcon built. WIS at that time lnem-
bor, Of tho Club, md few moro onthuninstio
individuals could llavo beon found amongst
tho number Of it's ntlulirora. Innumorabo wore
the articles TINT 7 contributed to its journal.
giving appalling accounts Of the adventures l
Ind met with in scaling peaks and climbing
down precpicoa, and otEor little performances
Of tlnt naturc. Immense used to DO my delight
aud pride at being able to inscribo tho magic lot
tors A. O. after my narno In tho yieitora' books
In swins inns. Astonishing ,,Bed to be tile get
up In whichI started for the most ordinary
mountain walk, girt about with q variety
Of, ropos, and ice-axos, aud Bpoctaelcs, and
bells. can speak jestingly Of these little
vanities now, but 1t took u very Bevero and a
very expensive lesson ontlroly to euro mo. And
tho way 1t camo about was this: There was to
DO an annual dinnor Of the Club hold at tho
Crystal Palace on q certain day in May, soon
after had taken my university dogreo This
dinner had set my heart on Attending ; hut
whom tho afternoon OF tho day arrived, re-
ceiycd lottor from some country cousins, say-
lug that they we're coming up to town TINT lay,
and begging mo to meet them at the train. Thisa
was pleasant; but as tlore was no holp for 1t, I
endohvo1ed to calm my ruflod tompor with tic
so5as aeostsnes .s,t Of my hooksl' and 80 70 far
my relatives, whilo oacortlng thom t'au across ss
town. When I had thus dono my duty.
began to consider what to do with myself, and
what particular establishment I should favor
With my custom for dinner that eyoning. Juat
AZ Ind settled this important matter who
should ] meot coming round corner but my
friend Jack Hilyar2 tue worry man. Of all others,
should have wished to como upon at tie mo-
ment. Jack was aA good follow Aa over breath
Of stun in him for iii that. As luck would hs hayso
It, he lad not y9t. ,ttlianod, ;, so We
gethor. and goMod M ohat IN the smoking.
course, and wore discussing tho winos and deG-
sort, when Btrangor ontered tho room and
seated himself at tho Table noxt to me. Now,
all my life hayo boon physiognomist-ao
perhaps, in the ordinary Bonso Of the word, as I
do not aBaort that can road minis general
character from Lis appoaranco-b this Gun
toll ut the first glanco, whether n man IL potcn-
TALLY my enemy or MY friend. In this Iuds-
mont at first sight hnyo noyor yet found my
self to bo mistaten. Tho very, moment tie
conceived an tntcnso dislike to him
feeling TINT that nun, 1t over le wero
to croae my path. would provo determined and
formidable foe. 1T q glance VIC could see tint
slouching gait, aud aboyo all, theinionscly frco-
and-oauy manner, in nd1cated his nationality be-
yond the shadow Of doubt. Putting ihreo
ehaira together, ho stretched himaolf along tle!n
at Jack and mysolf. We wore pnrtIy amused |
mud purity annoyed at the insolonco OF tho man
but, as NO had finished our vino, wo ad-. |
iournod to tho smoking-room. Soon after tho |
American followed us into tho other room. and
reared himsof up against tho 1nantelpieco Wills
Ae ,gavo out, for the honoat Of all present, his |
opinions on things in general. Jaok, who had |
got over his first fcoling Of disgust, scemol +
highly to enjoy tho man'a eccontricity, aud to
ho grew tired Of this arnuaomont 10 va roaunlod
The talk wo lad been engaged ia on tic subject
Of tho Alpine Club. jack was tliuIjne
Of Of joining it, and, in reply, 10 hiaa
a'aIi0ns g III M eorts gsVe TIA hsoTng description
American broke upon our cara with the remark
calc'latc the Alpine Club Ia tarnation hun.
bug Jack looked delighted aud giving ply
glance at INC, proceeded to draw out our friend
~ hope, sir he rojoinol, in most po1ito
ono tint you will give your roaaonB for that
opinion, Us had thought of becoming . mem
2er, gut. Or courso, would not do 10 il cou-
bAa4IeA tA!tA% t4o MAulu CuuC1In WAA ll1lQbuE.' |
"'Wall, stranger, you could not do Knowing
'r thing than stay na you air. guess they've
1a'ned the thing wrong. It should bo tho " l3rag
]olnpauy, Limited" Soma 'ta1unl dutror tint
'alla himself an a. @. goes up n mountain that
Ill the folk noar hayo known for years, ani then
Vritos to all tho European papers to say that Ay
laB malo first ascent. rcokou thoyiyo sa!sed
be prices of every darned thing III Switzerland
loua on 90 per cont. Then thoy're ouoll e|loeky
usHos to meet !; and tue groater tho duifsr tho
leolder lo is. Don't do It. atrangc1-don't do I
t.
While this WAS going on, I sat by silent,
mt rapidly losing my tompor. At laat
ccuid stand # no longer, and burst
ut with: 'I'his IL moro vague abuse, sir.
will bot you any sum OF money you choose to | /
amo that will sclect battor mouu.ainoer ,
rom tho Maombors Of tllo Club than any man you .
an name. 1a that fair offer2 Tile Alpine j
lub against the world
" Tho Yaukeo looked mo over from Aoad to {
oot md then drawlel out: Wall, stran. kr, I
uoss TIL take your bot, ii you'll lot tho NOUN
,ineoring be botToon you anl Ina I lay ysa t
nm TINT hnfo | 1