The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-15

earth. from Moscow To- Yokohama. Their system
Of finance WAS to cover and embrace tho habit
able globe. and the head centre the handspring,
tho brains Of the whole establishment were to
be located here at Geneva. II I remember we'll.
they published maps ON Mcrcator's projection,
in which Geneva was in the middle, surrounded
by series Of conccntric rings showing how far
away Paris London. Vienna. Berlin, New York.
wcro from the headquarters Of BOwcs Brothers.
Geneva was to be the capital of the world"
Hero my companion sighed. | did not ven
ture to ask him why.
While tho dream lasted" no went on 1t
was n splendid dream. Bowlcs Brothers wero
as liberal az they were sangune Everything
they did was done in n brilliantly magnificent
style. The equipment of thcir counting house.
thu" -
But" I said. arc you not wandering from
NJ. Specify Burger ?"
Il am coming to NJ. Specify Burger directly.
In The summer Of 1872 society was exceptionally
gay in Geneva. Tho hotels wcro crowded with
fashionable people from America and evory
country Of Europe. That was the summer. you
remember, that tho Council OF Arbitration in
tho Alabama matter was in session here. In
accordance with its policy tho house Of Dowcs
Brothers gave a grand banquet and reception
to the members OF tho International Council 1
cosmopolitan as that. The upper saloon Of tho
banking house was thronged with the most not
able men and women Of Geneva and OF Europe.
Tho enterprsing American nnanciers on that
occasion entertained scholars. diplomatists.
clcrgymen, warriors. citizens. and princes.
Followers OF John Calvin jostled disciples Of
Machavclli and Metternich. Russian coun-
tcsses promcnaded with petroleum princes
from our own dear native land. Oh 1t was a
great success.
Now listen. When the enjoyment was at its
height returning to the grand saloon from the
supper room | observed a group in the middle
Of the floor surrounding somebody who was
discoursing with n zcal and in n hdute ror
strangely out OF place then and there. did not
need TO look. 1t was Spcckly-Burger. By some
abominablc blundcr ho had received n card
Those Immediately around Specify Burger
wero for the most part strangers. unacquainted
with his direful reputation. Some unlucky
lead had given him his opportunity. and he had
seized II. The group grew larger every mo-
ment. We who knew him. attracted by n horri-
ble fascination, hung about the outskirts Of the
throng. Our hosts, the genial lnanciers. wero
in despair
again assure you. messieurs and mos
danes. Specify Burger was saying. that my
that OF De saussure. tho naturalist. who had
nearly as many guides and weighed many kilo-
grammcs loss than I do. But monsieur. pray
allow me to return to the strict chronological
order Of the narrative. Where were we? All
We had lost sight Of the Grands Mulets and
were struggling on over the drcary expanso Of
the second plateau toward the Derners Ilochcrs
/ was nearly exhausted by the immense exer-
tons OF tho early morning. Strange as il may
seem. my great weight became more instead Of
less oppressive in the rarcncd atmosphere
This singular fact has puzzled many savants.
and myself am ut a loss how TO account for il.
| had passed one dangerous crevassc with great
difficulty 10y being dragged on my back over q
frail bridge Of crushed snow which cracked
under my weight. while below me yawned
chasm Of unbelievable depth. Up one icy
pre'ipicc had climbed by means OF slippery
notches cut with Ratchet Up another preci-
pice had been hoisted by the sheer strength Of
my seventeen guides. I threw myself at full
length upon the snow, and begged my COM
panons 10 leave me there TO die. At that mo-
ment experienced -
Il am boring YOU" said the American. sud
denly intorrupting himself.
" By no means" | replied. was listening
with great interest and at the Same time watch
ing Mont Blanc. A small cloud had settled upon
the summit. where NJ Specify Burger stood in
1885
We'll" continued tho American. the inter
minable yarn went on. Tho situation seemed
very black indeed. Speckly-Burgcr was good
for at least three hours more. and now that he
had acquired full healway nothing less than
an earthquake or the uprising Of tho waters OF
tho Lake could arrest his narrative.
d" Do you remember that crisis in our civil
] rt,l, al. Int.
! Hampton Roads and began to sink our Modest
shius before the eyes Of thousands Of loyal men
and gallant sailors who We're powcrless to block
hor way? 1t seemed rs il nothing could stop
| the Merrimac. II seemed as II she would over
ride our whole navy and sink the very ship Of
I State itself. Then do you remcmbor how an
| insignificant and ridiculous conccrn-o cheese
box on a raft-poppod out from behind some
mudseow and all alone gave battle to the victo.
rlous black monster?
Just as SpecklyD Burger had crossed the
sixth crevassc and was drinking bottle Of
rim ordmdbe. rendered him by one Of the guides
to revive his almost extinct vitality. n thin
little gentleman. dressed in black. entered tho
room. and quietly made his way into tho Inner
circle OF the great convcrsatiOnalsts audience
| The appearance Of the new conner was anything
but formidable. He had hardly one-quarter OF
! fNlitNhll -iphIEtI > Mflkhl. ilt Wis u HtINoAH
lean, little man. In dress coat which did moi
fit him well. He looked rs If tho mere concus.
sion Of one of Spockly-Burger's lightest sen.
tenccs would knock him over
"' 1t was about hundred and Nifty metres
further on. said Speckly- Burger that mos
unfortunately tumbed into moulin. A mouth,
ladies'. is a circular hole eaten in the ice 10y th,
action Of the water They are sometimes o.
small diameter. but Of prodgous depth Tn,
diameter of this moulin was nearly equal to th'
diameter of myself; therefore l sank to my
waist and stuck there immoyaby The guides
exhausted their strength in vain attempts L
pull mo out Horrible 10 relate before | ha,
been many minutes in tho moulin | Eel
myself sinking deeper-yery slowly bu
very surely sinking deeper On reflection thu
cause will be obvious to all Of you. The natu
raj warmth Of my person was imperceptibl,
melting the ice around me. thus allowing ny
extraordinary weight to pull mo steadily down
ward. what were my sensations in that TIM
Of peril Button after button OF my camisol'
disappeared beneath tho surface OF the leo.
was already breast deep. l uttered a short, bu
fervent prayer. and closed my eyes to await tn,
frigOrlhc death that WAS imminent. You ask