Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-12-07

him, and then she turned with a smile
OF happiness TO the cottage OF hei
mother-that cottage so soon to be
shared by another. Peaceful were
her dreams that night.
The aiguilles of the Alps had not
not yet caught the rosy beams OF the
early morn, when a knock at the door
Of the chalet disturbed the slum-
berers.
"Who could it be at that unwonted
hour?" was the cry OF the mother and
daughter. A well-known voice. in
broken accents called for Henri. 1t
was the father seeking the son. A
shudder of horror passed through the
frame OF the girl.
Yet all was sadly true-Henri had
not returned home. A search must
be made. The neighbors gathered ia
haste TO the summons. With the
earliest dawn they set out upon their
melancholy errand. Alasl this had
not been the first time that they had
searched for lost ones In their land OF
dangers.
Marie led them to the parting place.
She marked the tracks the young
man had taken. With Indian sagac-
ity his footballs were followed till they
led to the age of the glacier. Here
greater skill was requisite to mark
the course. 1t was summer, and the
snow had disappeared from the lower
part OF the glacier. The hard ice
leaves no tracks; but as, at the hour
OF parting, some little softnesa re-
manned on the surface from the days
sun, Henri had left faint tracings on
the glacier, which the subsequent
nights chill had retained. The peas
ants noted these with jealous, painful
care. Here the alpenstock had lef
the impression OF its point. Suddenly
the foremost OF the group uttered
cry OF dismay. All crowded near. He
said nothing, but pointed with his
finger.
Poor Marie sickened AZ the sight
and fell insensible. There was the
trailing mark OF the slipped alpen-
stock, and beside it was the sliding
track OF the young mans foot. Both
terminated at the edge OF crerasse
or opening i'm the ice.
They strained their eyes downward,
in vain attempts to penetrate that
gloomy passage. They shouted, but
caught no voice In return. He had
fallen, and the depth was terrible.
"The ropel-the rope!"-was now
the cry. Several volunteered that
perilous descent in search OF their
friend. But here the horror came
upon them. with all its fell, benumbing
power. The aperture had narrowed
since the lost one had sunk, so there
was not space for human body.
Words can not picture the conster-
nation OF the party. One sought !
comfort in the thought that the poor
fellow must have been killed in the /
fall But another told how one had
been In such a chamber as that from
which he could not be extricated;
and, after he had been mourned over
for days as dead, he reappeared,
CHASTITY. but a living man. Henri
might still be alive. Still. the ever
slowly moving mass had pressed the
walls OF his prison so much closer
together, no prospect appeared OF
rescue.
Marie revived TO be made even !
more desolate and terror stricken by |
the news OF the closing chasm.
What mouInful group returned |
to the cottage!
Here the matter was fully discussed. |
and plans were successfully proposed
and rejected. Marie listened with
deepest attention. When they found
no way OF relief, all turned eyes OF
fearful sympathy TO the youthful
betrothed one. But it was no time
yet for her to mourn. She must
think and act for her beloved, who
was not yet beyond hope with her.
Having heard the story repeated OF
the man who, returning tu his wife,
after having been buried ia the Ice
chamber. she recurred to it, demanded
particulars, and wondered how he had
escaped. Then she learned that the
poor fellow had found . passage
through the glacier, and had issued
from its mouth.
And why?" said she, might not
Henri so return?"
She quailed again when told OF the
depth OF the crerasse, and the GER
tainty OF his limbs being broken. il
his life was not destroyed at once.
How could he escape? Love now
awakened her imagination with
another project. II he could not get
out, might not others go into the
glacier in search? Sage heads were
shaken at the suggestion. The ter
rors OF the glacier were well known
To the peasants OF the Alps. Chamb-
ers were seen plainly enough. Ex-
tended caves were believed to run
beneath the surface. The very exit
OF the rivers from those icy rscesses
proved the existence OF subterranean
passages.
But there was another point OF
view The surface OF glacier was
inconstnt. A stone upon it was
known to drift down the valley, slow
ly but certainly. The huge blocks OF
ice would rise from the surface and
then fall shivering ward the valley.
The very height OF the glacier was
changing at the banks. II these out
ward signs OF movement existed,
could they fail in affecting the parts
belowi II the glacier glided down
ward from the lofty peaks to the
plains. though but at the rate OF
few inches a day, would the caverns
retain their form? As the prisons
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