The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-09-25
A TALE OF MID.AIR.


ches. near the foot Of Mont Blanc. lived
old Bernard and bis three sons One
morning be lay in bed sick. and. barn.
ing with fever. watched anxiously fol
the return OF his son. Jehsn. who had
gone to fetch physician. At length q
horses tread was heard. and soon after.
ward the doctor entered. He examined
the patient closely, felt his pulse
looked at his tongue, and then said.
patting the old mans cheek, 1t will
be nothing, my triend-nothipgP Du,
he made sign to the three lads, who.
open-mouthed and snxious. stood
grouped around the bed All four
withdrew to distant corner. the
doctor shock his head. thrust out his
lower lip. and said, IT'S serious at
tsck---very serious--of fever. He is
now in the hight of the fit. and rs
soon as il abatss be must have sulphate
of qulnine.'
What is that, DOCTOR
'Quinine, my friend, Is very ex-
pensive medicine, but which you may
procure at Sallanches. Between the
two fits your father must take ct least
three francs worth. | will write the
prescription. You Can read. Guillaume!
Yes. doctor.
And you will see tina. he takes i,?'
Certainly
When the physician was gone.
Guillaune, Pierre. and Jehan looked
ct each other in silent perplexity.
Their whole stock Of money consisted
OF Q franc aud half. ald yet the
medicine must be procured imme-
distely.
Listen. said Pierre. i know q
method of getting from the mountain
before night three or four five-franc
pieces
From the mountain
I have discovered an ssgle's nest in
. cleft Of o frightful precipice. There
10 . gentleman at oallSnches who
would gladly purchase the eaglets; and
nothing made me hesitate but the
terrible risk Of taking them; but that's
nothing when our fathers lite 10 con.
cerned. We may have them now in
two bours.
4 will rob the nest.' said Gull
laume.
No. no. let ms. said Jchan. Il am
the youngest and. lignte,t'
Il have the best right 10 venture.
said Pierre. - it was l who discover
cd it,
Come said Pierre. let us decide by
drawing lots. Write three numbers.
Guillaume. put them into my bat. and
whoever draws pumber one will try the
venture
Guillaune blacksned the end Of a
wooden splinter in the Ere; tore sn lid
card into three pieces; wrote on them
one. two. three, and threw them into
the hat.
How the three hearts .beatl Old
Bernard lay shivering in the cold fit.
aud each OF his sons longed 10 risk his
own life 10 save that of his father.
The let fell on Pierre. who had dis
covered the nest; ne embraced the sick
mAn.
We shall not be long absent, father,
he said. and IL 10 needfal for US to &c
together
sWhat are yoe going 10 dor
We will tell you as soon ss we come
back
Guillaume took down from the wall
an old sabre. which had belonged to
Bernard when he served as . soldier
JehAn sopght thick cord which the
nountaineers use when cutting down
trees; and Pierre went toward an old
wooden cross. reared near the cottage
and knelt before it for some minutes
in fervent prayer.
They set ont together. and soor
reached the brink Of the precipice
The danger consisted NOT only in thu
possibility OF falling several hundred
feet. but still more in the probable
sggression u the birds Of prey inhabit-
ing the wili abyss.
Pierre. Who wss to brave these perils
was . dne. athletic young man oi
twenty two. Having measured with
his eye the distance he would have ts
descsnd. his brothers fastened the cord
around his waist and begnn TO let bin
down. Holding the sabre in bis hand
he safely reached the nook that con