The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-08-09
ALPINE HEIGHTS.
Grand italian Scenery At High Altl'
tnde.
Early Morning Ascent TO- Mount Gro
cine Peak.
Other Matters of Interest Thereto.

A correspondent Of the Pail Mall Gazette
writes from Berne, Switzerland; lmmedi-
ateiy above Menaggio, on the Lake Oh
Como, opposite Bellagio, rises Monte oro-
clone, the highest peak but two OF those
which grid "the lordly length OF Lario."
The peak itself possesses no remarkable
beauty of form, springing, as 1t does, from a
long saddleback which terminates in an
other similar cone. But the attention is ar
rested by the white wall of limestone ellis
which run along the whole length ofthe
mountain, and divide into two nearly equal
narts. cliffs so sheer for three hundred feet
or more that they give to the upper pas
tures all the glamor of an inaccessible and
unknown land.
A gentle evening, full of that dreamy
melancholy which is so subtle an element
in the beauty of the Italian lakes, gave us
the promise of fine morning. 1t was SIN
dark when was awakened by my Irlends
footsteps outside on the gravel, ana ms
voice under the window saying: son
quiW There were no signs Oh Jay Us we
lef; the low daphde- scented gardens ana
the male gray lake and climbed the Porlezza
road behind Menaggio. The stars were
large and shining strongly when we gained
the .icima del paese," and stopped to look
hack on the lake; the first light of morning
VIZ = spreading over sky and hill and water:
colofless as yet, but full of hal t-djscovered
glory, like the tuning OF an orchestra before
q symphony. The stars were paling RAPID,
ly, while right above kegoledo gloWea
The morning star, shooting ever higher
and higher into the heavens to meet its
death at the hands of day. Our way led
now for short distance along the Porl-
ezza road. and then struck sharp to the
lelt towards the village of Gronu, winding
through hollow cups of dewy lawn, where
eentle breathings seemed to swell the
breast of the woodlands into grassy
mounds, with here and there chestnut
tree, whose golden leaves gave presage OF
the coming autumn. Frail leaves OF mist
came floating up from the heavier cloud
masses that lay down on Lago Plano. Few
things in nature are more beautiful than
the sensitiyenes of clouds to the coming
dawn. The cloud heaves and turns as though
like Nickel Angels marble Dawn, it felt
the toll and horror of the garish day. 1t has
lain so cold, so calmly, all night In tne
arms of the giant hills, but now it rises TO
bear soft moisture to the sun parcneo hllis'
Grona, with its brown roofs and campan-
lie, nestles at the foot of Crocione, like the
home of Poliziano's mountain maids, ana
here the question of the provision basket
was settled for my friend announced that
he could find a "donna" who would carry
a load and show us the right path. This
was rather a shock to English notions ofthe
consideration due to the weak er vessel; put
| / was assured that it was quite as 1t should
be. And, indeed, when the donna APP
reared all theory of the weaker vessel was
knocked on the head, for she was far
stronger than either of us, and showed
| much tender soliCltude in accommodating
herself to our poor PAGES. She quite JUST.
fed the assertion that she could 60 up hill
come un cavallo," great deal more than
we could do, for, though nowhere
difficult, the path was sometimes
very steep, and over stones that were
A we rose above Grona the first sunlight
caught the hill-tops, and knowing how
brief ia the rose glow of dawn, how soon 1t
dies away and faded into the common
light of day." we stayed to watch 1t while
| il lasted. The light spread slowly, growing
from rose to gold every minute; and as It's
slanting sunrays touched the cages OF tne
rayines they threw the hollows into shade
of deepest blue. The nearer nils looked
oddlv flat as though they had no sub.
stance, or other side of them they seemed
more like crumbled pieces OF brown paper
pinned against the pale blue sky than solid
mountains made Of earth and rock. Inc
nure air of Italy often leads this sense oil
nnsubstantiaity to the landscape. We
we're reminded now of the great headland
of Forth Elmo on the Riviera by Genoa, as
it appeared one evening, clear ana transpa'
rent as amethyst against an evening SKY
The path up Crocione happily lies in the
shadow of huge shoulder of the hill SO
that YOU escape the extra fatigue OF walk
ing in the sunshine. We felt some curlosl'
ty as to how we were to get over the lime
stone cliffs that rose sheer above us; but the
way unwound itself and presented no DIM
culties. Above the cliffs the path lies
through forest OF low beach trees; the
grass beneath them Is tangle OF prlony,
clematis and gentan, with here and there
The scarlet CLEAN of the snake-like noun
tain gooseberry. Our conductress, lmagin-
ing that she saw signs offatigue in her par
ty. now led us little distance OIL the pain
and ordered halt beside spring OF sweet
clear water, We sat and listened to the
music of the cattle bells above
us, for the day was fully come
and the pastures on the heights were
alive with cows taking their las'
moutbful of mountain grass before the
w,nter drove them down, which IL Was
sure TO do by the beginning of Novem Der al
the latest, The first of the snow peaks We
had climed TO see were lying before us to
the east; Disgrazia, the northern wall o.
Valetline, and, nearer still, the needle
polnts of the Gina di Zocca above Promon
togno in the Val Bregagia, just powered
with snow that would not be there long
Three-quarters of an hour more brought u
10 the top, and, having rested and eater
without looking at the view-ior we wished
10 keen the best TO the last and get II pur
and simple whenit came-we went to tn
edge of the precipice and lay down to TAX
our Gil. Below us swan the lorul,
lenqth of Lario;" SO far below thft
seemed as though we might drop ston
: into IN depths, and there lay "Bullaz" an
"Menaz," separated by a sea OF twinklin
water that was no color put a.
: light, Grigna Peilata. on the other side {
the lake, was clearly saying that, for all hi
/: bald he I'd, be was higher than we were an
] 40 indeed be was, for we could not see owe
: him. but had TO guess where lay lseo an
} Iadv Mary's Lovers. Lecco and Viii
, diEste we're both Gear, and beyond the la
ter we felt the Lombard plain; see il "
could not, for Il was an ocean OF cloud, on
of which rose in the far distance the pal
: biue Apenpines above Genoa. Behind .
was Monte Generoso, in the foreground an
a little corner Of Msggiore. opposite Lu u
!. VII lie 10 our inutterable delight II SCENE
a. though every Alp In Switzerland ha
rissn 10 wish us good morning. Monte Rosl
in her queenlike grace, dwarfing the other
Even Mount Blanc did not deny himself
our search. -
q we turned again 10 look at the lake, an
: through my glass was trying 20 make on
n the baptis.ery at GravedOna It's delicate aps
u All form vas lust visible An old Deasan
o with A veethsr-beaten face, but with plea
l. ant. frank eyes, came up On
|. began speaking very rapidly. AZ hrst
could not make out what he said, DIT
presently dsEned on me tbst be was TAI
o inR English: be was extremely promo OF
n knovledgs Of that language. His hnglls
& soon failed him, and be relapsed into lie
4 ian. He took my glass and lookea
4 Grsvedous Tor some time. Suddenly b
q shuf II M With Q bang. and said m 10
b voice. DO you zee that church a. Srhy
y dona there II vas built BY the devil
n -. ,.5.Il|t srTt IL very beautiful 70